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BELINDA’S COUSINS 


^ €ale of €otDn anO €ountrp. 


BY 

MAURICE FRANCIS EGAN 

Author of “ Belinda,” “ The Watson Girls,” Jasper Thorn,” 
Jack Chumleigh,” “ The Legend of Lancianus,” 

** In a Brazilian Forest,” Etc., Etc. 



PHILADELPHIA 

H. L. KILNER & CO. 


PUBLISHERS 


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1 '^S’e 22 

ptiia3 iU XX« no,; 


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The author gratefudy acknowledges the 
kind permission of the Editor of Ave 
Maria, to use part of this story, which 
originally appeared in that publication. 



Copyright, 1903, bv Maurice Francis Egan. 


THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED 
TO THE 

GRANDDAUGHTER OF A NOBLE WOMAN 


OF BROOKLYN AND BELMAR, 
BY 

HER FRIEND THE AUTHOR. 


Ociobery igoj~ 




















CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. Last Days at School 

II. At Home 

III. The Family Dinner. . 

IV. Letters 

V. Marguerite’s Threat . 

VI. Marguerite is Firm . . 

VII. How the Dogs Felt. 

VIII. An Afternoon Call., 

IX. The Note 

X. The Wheel Chair... 

XI. She Departs 

XII. The Grape-Arbor. . . 

XIII. Mr. Laffan’s Talk.. 

XIV. In the Arbor 

XV. Belinda 

XVI. The Ghost 

XVII. Morfido’s Accident.. 
XVIII. Under the Lamp . . . . 

XIX. The Evening 

XX. The Grave 

XXI. Marguerite’s Return 


PAGE 

7 

i6 

21 

27 

32 

38 

44 

48 

53 
60 
66 
72 
, 78 
, 84 
90 
96 

. lOI 

. 107 
, 112 
. 119 
. 124 


s 


6 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER page 

XXII. Hannah’s Trial. 130 

XXIII. Marguerite Listens 139 

XXIV. Wounded Vanity 152 

XXV. The Effects of Selfishness 157 

XXVI. The Ministry of Pain 162 

XXVII. A Prisoner 167 

XXVIII. Mrs. Gillflofy 172 

XXIX. A Door Opens 181 

XXX. What They Thought 191 

XXXI. An Awful Threat 201 

XXXII. A Climax 21 1 

XXXIII. Those Awful Words 223 

XXXIV. Mrs. Goldstrom 229 

XXXV. An Offering of Friendship 240 

XXXVI. Belinda and Inez 251 

XXXVII. The Burglar 262 

XXXVIII. Jem 273 

XXXIX. An Accusation. 284 

XL. The Climax 290 

XLI. The End 301 


BELINDA’S COUSINS 


I. 

LAST DAYS AT SCHOOL. 

Belinda’s dear grandmother grew ill while 
she was away at the convent, Belinda reached 
Capitol Hill just in time to receive her blessing, 
and she died in peace, not knowing what was in 
store for her darling. A short time after Mrs. 
Murray’s death, Uncle Joe passed away, and then 
it was discovered that the fortune which he had 
invested in a silver mine had vanished as the 
smoke of burning leaves in the autumn, — but not 
leaving even a haze behind. 

Frederick Murray had recovered his health and 
gone back to Annapolis, so that the loss did not 

make so much difference to him. He was wretched 

7 


8 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


about it for Belinda’s sake. He determined to 
end his career in the Navy and come out to work 
for her; but she would not have it so. In a few 
months she would be graduated. She could teach 
music, and support herself in that way until he 
‘‘got through ” the Naval Academy, and then he 
could help her, — but not until then. 

“You will do no good, if you come out, dear 
old boy. Of course it would be nice for us to 
live in the old house on Capitol Hill, and go to the 
Terrace to see the sunsets, and listen to the 
Marine Band in the summer, or to live cosily in 
a little flat in New York; but, remember, Fred, I 
know what it is to be poor. You don’t. You’d 
waste days hunting work which you would not 
know how to do, if you got it, — for you know 
only how to be a sailor man. In the meantime. 
I’d starve elegantly, like a lady. No ; make your 
career, — and I’ll do my best, with God’s help. 
I’m a Southern girl, as you say, but I don’t see 
why a Southern girl should be more ashamed to 
work than a Northern girl, — do you ? Some time 
ago, Mrs. Deresby, who is in some way related to 
us, asked me to visit her. I’ll go as soon as the 
school closes, and see what my chances are as a 


LAST DAYS AT SCHOOL. 


9 


music teacher. The dear, good, sweet, generous 
Sisters want me to stay here ; — but this isn't the 
world, and I must face the world. 

“ If things don’t go well there, I shall go to the 
Laffans’, — Mrs. Laffan was mother’s cousin, you 
know. I really didn’t know this until I met 
Marguerite at school. She will be graduated in 
my class, — and she is a fine girl, — so kind, so 
good, so unspoiled. She has great executive 
power, she ought to be a queen. 

Amelie, you know, is still in France, and the 
Watsons are in the country, — I shall write to them 
all. I wish you would, too. Things must come 
right, if we do our best.” 

The Deresby invitation had been to the rich 
Belinda, not to the poor Belinda, and she soon 
found this out. Then, with great sadness in her 
heart, she wrote to Marguerite. The next day 
she received a telegram from Mr. Laffan. It 
simply said, — 

Come home as soon as you can.” 

There came a long, cordial letter from Mr. 
Laffan, and a note from Marguerite : — 

Dear, sweet, kind, altogether-lovely Belinda, 
no matter how kind the Deresbys are, come at 


10 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


once. I need your advice and help. I will tell 
all.'' Then followed sixteen pages, perfumed 
with lavender. 

School over in June, Marguerite Laffan had 
made up her mind about many things. She had 
determined that she would take the housekeeping 
under her direction, and put some style into it ; 
she had determined that she would civilize her 
brother Aloysius, and that there should be no dogs 
about the house. 

She had thought a great deal about these things. 
She was supposed to be one of the most brilliant 
girls in the graduating class ; she was just over 
sixteen, and she had almost won the right of 
reading the valedictory. People said this was a 
great honor for a girl of her age. She read, how- 
ever, a paper on ‘‘Woman's Mission in the Nine- 
teenth Century." She made up her mind that 
her mission was to make home happy by making 
Aloysius a gentlemanly boy, and by banishing his 
pigeons and dogs. Marguerite had, indeed, given 
up her first intention of following a post-graduate 
course, in order to improve her home. Her 
mother was an invalid, and the girl resolved to 
devote her life to those ideas of happiness which 


LAST DAYS AT SCHOOL. 


11 


she had drawn from books and partly from her 
aunt’s conversation. Her aunt was Mrs. Gold- 
waite Gillflory, who lived on the fashionable side 
of Chicago, and who sometimes visited Mar- 
guerite. 

Aloysius had always been a great trial to his 
sister. She loved him very much ; but she had 
never had great pleasure in his company, because 
he was always with Prince ; and Marguerite dis- 
liked Prince. 

Aloysius — he was generally called Al” — was 
not beautiful. Marguerite would have forgiven 
this if he had been stylish.” He was stumpy 
and sunburned ; he had big ears, which, as his 
hair was closely cropped, stood out from his head 
like wings ; his stockings were never gartered, or 
if one was gartered, the other was not. His 
pockets always bulged ; he dragged his feet when 
he walked ; his English was bad ; he would say 
^‘avenoo” instead of ‘‘avenue,” and “ bloo ” in- 
stead of “blue.” This grieved Marguerite very 
much. And, then, he had a bad habit of calling 
out, “ She don’t know nothing,” that almost 
curdled the blood in her veins. Sometimes he 
washed his face in streaks, and sometimes he did 


12 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


not wash it at all. He was twelve years old. 
The other brother, Fred, was seven. She did not 
worry much about him ; he was the baby of the 
family, and Marguerite made up her mind that 
she could easily manage that little darling. 

Of course I love Aloysius,’' observed Mar- 
guerite to her Cousin Belinda, as they sat, hand 
in hand, on a bench on the lawn, after the Com- 
mencement exercises were over; ^‘but I cannot 
esteem him as I ought. ^ My aunt, on my father’s 
side, Mrs. Gillflory — she goes into the best South 
Side society in Chicago, — tells me that he is 
awful; and Peggy Gillflory, my cousin, says that 
she feels that I ought to do something to bring 
my poor father and mother out of the condition 
into which they have been dragged by my 
brother.” 

But he is so young.” 

‘‘ A boy ought to begin to be something at 
twelve. Montaigne learned Greek at seven, and 
Julius Caesar — dear me, I forgot to say good-bye 
to Sister Clement. I shall never forget her, — 
never. And, O Belinda,” said Marguerite, you 
know how I feel in giving up my post-graduate 
course for my family.” 


LAST DAYS AT SCHOOL. 


13 


‘‘ I should like to stay, too,'' said Belinda, with 
a sigh. I must teach music at once. If poor 
uncle had not died, — but, as it is, I ought to be 
thankful that he left me the means of getting a 
living. * Work is the word,' as Sister Clement 
said. I will be cheerful, no matter what hap- 
pens." 

I shall be cheerful if things go right," said 
Marguerite. ‘‘I almost envy you your plunge 
into the world. As it is, I feel my responsibility. 
I suppose I shall have to go into society, too, for 
Al's sake and papa's. You know mamma never 
goes out." 

“ Society," said Belinda. Why, Marguerite, 
you are not old enough for that, are you ? And 
A1 " 

Aloysius, if you please." 

‘‘ I thought you said A1 — Aloysius is not old 
enough for society." 

My aunt says," replied Marguerite, smoothing 
down her muslin dress, that society polishes a 
boy more than anything else. And, then, one 
must make social connections for him. His are 
very low, I am afraid. I know my duties, dear. 
But don't let the thought of them make you 


14 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


sad/’ she added, solemnly kissing Belinda on the 
forehead. 

Sad ! ” exclaimed Belinda. “ If I were going 
home to a dear father and mother I should not 
be sad. If you were an orphan like me.” 

‘^Ah, Belinda,” answered her companion, ‘‘you 
have only yourself to look after : I have others.” 

“ Aloysius and — a dog,” remarked Belinda, 
smiling a little. 

Marguerite looked at her reproachfully. Then 
she gathered up her fan, her various souvenirs, 
and her flowers, and rushed into Sister Clement’s 
arms. 

An hour later she was seated beside her father 
in the train for home. She made Belinda promise 
to visit her soon. Her father looked at her ap- 
provingly. In her quiet, dark, convent-made 
frock, with her hair rippling a little over her fore- 
head, not in “ Pompadour,” under a neat little hat, 
she hit his taste exactly. 

“You will be a great comfort to us all, my 
dear,” he said, softly. 

“ Of course I shall, papa,” she answered, smiling 
at him. 

It was hard to give up the post-graduate course. 


LAST DAYS AT SCHOOL. 


15 


Marguerite thought; but just lovely to have a 
father for whom one could sacrifice so much. 
She looked at the girl in front of her, and thought 
of her large hat and ribbon streamers with some 
dissatisfaction. She felt herself to be very plain. 


16 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


II. 

AT HOME. 

Mr. Laffan's house was not imposing. It 
was comfortable and large enough. It stood in 
Rosevale, a small town within easy distance of 
Chicago. There was a good lawn in front of it, 
and a big garden behind it. Over the brown 
timber of the house ivy and running roses and 
wall-flowers and clematis intermingled. Mrs. 
LafTan liked the thick vines, which werq the 
homes of innumerable birds; and Mr. Laffap ap- 
proved of them, because they saved the painter a 
great deal of work, — for nobody could see whether 
the house had been painted or not, so thick w^re 
the vines. 

The garden at the back was filled with ojd- 
"" fashioned flowers. There were dwarf-pear and 
apple trees and a grapevine arbor. But the most 
important thing in this garden was a small whit^ 
house, with Grecian pillars in front of it. There 


AT HOME. 17 

Prince and AVs other dogs lived. On the roof of 
this house was a place for the pigeons. 

A carriage was waiting for Mr. Laffan and his 
daughter at the station. On the front seat with 
the driver was Aloysius, his straw hat rather 
the worse for wear, and, as usual, one stocking 
hanging about his ankle. Marguerite tried to 
kiss him, but she succeeded only in hitting her 
nose against the rough straw of the brim of his 
hat, for he dodged his head. He did not like to 
be kissed. 

‘'Why, Mag,’' he said, “ how big you’ve grown. 
You’re almost a young lady.” 

“ Am I ? ” said Marguerite, rather pleased. 
“Do you think I have changed? You have 
grown, too.” 

“ I should think I have. Why, I am first base 
of the R. R. V, Nine, and I can ‘ do ’ anybody of 
my size with one hand.” 

“ Just lift that traveling bag into the carriage,” 
said his father," and jump up quick. Marguerite 
must want her supper.” 

They drove quickly through the country. 
They passed the wheat fields and the little houses, 

with their sentinel sunflowers and hollyhocks, and 

2 


18 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

at last stopped in front of the vine-covered cot- 
tage. 

Welcome home/* said her father, kissing her 
again, as he lifted her out of the carriage. She 
ran at once to her mother’s room. Her mother 
sat in a big arm-chair waiting for her. Mrs. 
Laffan cried a little, kissed her daughter and the 
beautiful graduating medal many times. She 
looked better than usual, and had actually walked 
across the room twice, in spite of the inflamma- 
tory rheumatism that had held her captive for so 
many years. 

‘‘You will be such a comfort to us,” said her 
mother, repeating the kind words of Mr. Laffan. 

Marguerite uttered a scream ; she had trodden 
on something that bounded up from under her 
mother’s chair like a big India rubber ball. 

“It’s only Fred,” said Mrs. Laffan. “Fred, 
do behave yourself. Here’s Marguerite.” 

Marguerite screamed again ; for the small boy 
that had suddenly appeared from under the table 
was accompanied by a hideous animal — a dog 
that looked like a sausage. It was fat and there 
was no hair on its body ; it looked odd to say the 
least. 


AT HOME. 


19 


Marguerite forgot her good manners and kicked 
at it. The small boy frowned, put his fingers in 
his mouth and began to howl, with his big blue 
eyes fixed on his sister. The strange dog began 
to yelp, too. 

“ Go kiss your sister, Fred,'' said his mother. 

Fred wept louder. She kicked Morfido, — she 
did, she did," he exclaimed, tears now streaking 
his cheeks. i 

Marguerite blushed deeply. Suppose Sister 
Clement or anybody should hear that speech. 

Come to me, Fred," she said, soothingly. 

‘‘ What did you bring me?" demanded Fred, 
coming nearer. I want a gun ; I want a pistol; 
I want a watch that you can wind up as often as 
you like and it won't break." 

Marguerite had to confess that she had not 
thought of anything. Then Fred threw himself 
on the floor, in the deepest grief. He rolled and 
rolled about, Morfido rolling with him, and the 
air was filled with sobs and yelps. 

In the meantime, Aloysius had washed himself 
and put on his best suit of clothes. Prince had 
been scrubbed early in the morning, and Aloysius 
put a new collar on him. Aloysius was glad that 


20 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Marguerite had come home, although he did not 
like girls, as a rule. But he had made up his mind 
to be nice to her if she liked dogs and pigeons. 
So far she had not made a bad impression on him. 
She had kissed him, to be sure ; but, of course, 
girls could not help that sort of foolishness. If 
Prince took to her, she must have something 
good in her after all. Bob Taylor's sister had 
made his Floss a big red ribbon bow for the dog 
race ; perhaps Mag might make Prince a blue one. 
There were many things a girl could do, — and, 
poor things, Aloysius thought, it was well they 
were worth something. 

Prince was a Scotch terrier. The end of his 
tail had been nipped off in battle, and one eye 
was closed, owing to another battle. His coat 
looked glossy and yellow after scrubbing; but, as 
a rule, it was very dim and dingy looking. His 
good eye had a very sharp look, and Aloysius 
understood well the language of the tail. 

‘‘Try to like her. Prince," his owner whispered 
to him, as the bell for supper rang. “ She’s only 
a girl, but do try to like her." 


THE FAMILY DINNER. 


21 


III. 

THE FAMILY DINNER. 

Marguerite's first evening at home passed off 
fairly well. She did not approve of tea, which 
was served by Hannah in rather a rustic fashion. 
There was an enormous plate of stewed meat for 
the boys, dry bread and some mineral water for her 
father, and rolls and marmalade and tea for her- 
self. A stiff bunch of double hollyhocks dec- 
orated the table ; and Hannah walked in and out as 
she pleased, rebuking the boys or making remarks 
to Mr. Laffan, who, as a dyspeptic, took his frugal 
meal v^ery slowly. 

“ I hope you like the marmalade, Margie," said 
Hannah; ^Ht's real Scotch, They can grow 
oranges in this country, but they canna’ make 
marmalade in this country. I opened the last 
pot for you, child. Til wager you never had 
marmalade like that at the convent." 

Marguerite made a face ; she disliked marma- 


22 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


lade, though the boys, to use Hannah’s words, 

wallowed ” in it. 

“ Dear me, but you’re a brave girl,” Hannah 
said, standing over her. ‘‘ I missed you so much 
last vacation. Indeed I’ve oft been thinking that 
your aunt’s was no place for you. She’s just that 
stuck up and overpowering that she’s no compan- 
ion for you, a young girl. We’ve all been a-wear- 
ingfor you, — Master Fred,” she broke off sharply, 
“ you’re not to feed the dog from the table. I 
won’t have the cloth mussed up by his paws, — I 
won’t that, now. You may drop a wee bit of the 
meat on the floor, — just a wee bit on the oil-cloth 
under your chair ; but it’s not manners to have 
the beastie eating off the cloth itself.” 

Fred grinned at Hannah with all the impishness 
that a small boy can put into a grin ; and Hannah 
turned away to give a similar reprimand to 
Aloysius, who was just in the act of holding a 
bone over Prince’s head. 

Marguerite looked at her father ; but he silently 
munched his bread and drank his water, taking 
no notice of the boys. 

“ Master Aloysius,” cried Hannah, striking 
Prince’s head with her apron, which she rolled for 


THE FAMILY DINNER. 


23 


the moment into a sort of a rope. ^‘You'll soil 
the tablecloth. When I lived with Mr. Sawyer, 
at the manse in the country, he'd have brained 
little Davie if he did what you are doing. Ah, 
Davie was a good child, and he's a great man in 
India to-day ! " 

Are there Indians in India, Han.^" asked 
Fred, giving Morfido's head a push. 

There are no red Indians, they're just natives 
of India," said Hannah, forgetting her wrath. 
‘‘ Keep your fingers out of the sugar. Master 
Fred ! Don't you see the spoon ? — And they are 
poor, benighted pagans, Margie." 

I know, Hannah," said Marguerite, glad to 
have a chance of improving the boys' minds. ‘‘ It 
was the idea of converting them that made Co- 
lumbus cross the ocean to America. Just think, 
Fred, he started for India, and found himself in 
America!" 

‘‘How foolish!" said Fred. “If papa would 
give me a ship of my own. I’d know where to 

go*" 

Marguerite looked disgusted, and pushed Prince 
away, as he was attempting to put his tongue 
into her saucer. 


21 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Marg 
Laffan,’' cried Aloysius, “to hit a poor dawg 
that can’t talk ! I should think the Sisters would 
have taught you better.” 

“They would have made you say dog and not 
‘ dawg,’ ” she replied, with a superior air; “and 
taught you that the table is no place for dogs.” 

“ Popper ! popper ! popper ! ” wailed Fred*. “ Is 
Marg Laffan to interfere with us? Who is my 
boss, Hannah or Marg?” 

Mr. Laffan squirted some more mineral water 
from his syphon, and sighed. 

“ What are they fussing about. Marguerite ? ” 
he asked. “ I declare I have been thinking so 
deeply that I have paid no attention. Things are 
not so cheerful as they used to be, my dear. Your 
mother can’t come down to her meals and Han- 
nah does just the best she can. But I know 
you’ll make us all more cheerful. And I’m so 
glad you’re not a young lady, but just a nice, 
simple-minded little girl. Trust the Sisters for 
keeping you nice and kind and young.” 

“ Aunt Gillflory thinks the convents are too 
simple. She says that girls intended for society 
ought to have more aplomb.” 


THE FAMILY DINNER. 


25 


Aloysius and Fred giggled. 

‘‘ More what ? ” asked Mr. Laffan. ‘‘ I declare, 
I have forgotten what little French I knew!'’ 

‘‘ Oh, more self-assertion, more knowledge of 
the world 1 " 

‘‘Ah," said Mr. Laffan. “Your Aunt Gillflory 
was always queer." 

“ Daft, I should say," put in Hannah, coming 
in with her plate of hot rolls. “ What with her 
airs and her graces, your sister, sir, is more like a 
pagan than a self-respecting Christian." 

Mr. Laffan sighed. “ The house needs disci- 
pline, my dear," he said. “ But don't mind Han- 
nah ; she has always had her way. Fm sure, my 
dear, you’ll make us all more cheerful ; and,” he 
said, with a laugh, “ perhaps you can do something 
for the boys' manners. I am too busy to look 
after them." 

Marguerite smiled. “ The mission of woman," 
she had said in her essay, “ is to elevate at the 
cost of any sacrifice." 

“ We really ought to have a new dinner 
set, papa," she said, looking at the cracked 
plate. 

“ That's right ! " said her father. “ Order it. 


26 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


I knew you'd see our defects. But don't be too 
hard on the boys." 

Marguerite ran around to her father's chair and 
kissed him. He smiled, and went into his study. 

‘‘You needn't mind liking her, Prince," said 
Aloysius to the Scotch terrier, as they ran races 
on the lawn after tea ; “ she will never suit us." 


LETTERS. 


27 


IV. 

LETTERS. 

Marguerite looked into her mother’s room. 
All was silent. 

Do you want me, mamma?” she asked. 

No,” said a weak voice, — “not if you have 
anything else to do.” 

Marguerite hesitated. Should she give up her 
letter-writing to stay with her mother? Her 
mother could wait ; and she must write to Mrs. 
Gillflory and Belinda. It would not make much 
difference ; she would be with her mother all 
summer. 

She went up to her room. It was neat and 
clean and rather bare. There were none of the 
pretty ornaments that young girls like : no blue 
and white toilet-table, or knots of ribbons or 
silver-framed photographs. The room was se- 
verely white, a rug on the carefully scrubbed 
floor, and a little iron bedstead. A shelf near the 


28 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


door held a holy-water font. There was a picture 
over the mantelpiece representing a sinful soul 
in flames. Hannah, who was a devout Scotch 
Catholic, was very fond of this picture, and she 
had put it into Marguerite’s room as a special 
mark of regard. Marguerite opened her own 
desk — a pretty thing given to her by Aunt Gill- 
flory, — and patted it affectionately. She drew 
from her trunk some delicate note-paper, and 
began to write to her aunt. 

‘‘ I have found things, my dear aunt, much as 
you described them to me. Two years ago I was 
too young to notice much ; and, then, at school 
everything is so simple — there is such an absence 
of style — that I did not understand how rude our 
life was at home. Since I visited you I began to 
understand how people ought to live. My father 
and mother are lovely, but the boys will need a 
great deal of my attention. I shall begin to 
teach Aloysius French to-morrow, and induce 
him to part with a shocking dog, which actually 
eats off the table. Fred has another beast, which 
I shall send away too. Well dressed, my brothers 
would look well enough, though, dear Aunt 


LETTERS. 


29 


Gillflory, they have none of the Laffan beauty. 
Aloysius wears no cuffs, and I found a vile piece 
of chewing-gum pressed under the table at tea. 
Happily, he does not smoke ; he says cigarettes 
are only for dudes. Fred has nice blue eyes and 
the funniest bang; his nose is freckled, and when 
he wrinkles it up he almost frightens me. At tea 
he put his fingers in his mouth and widened it so 
dreadfully that I almost screamed. We some- 
times think that the minims at the convent are 
impish ; but no little girl can possibly be so awful 
as a small boy. He knows what you are thinking 
about, and he grins at you ! 

I shall do my best to brighten up this afflicted 
home. I know that I cannot be a St. Catherine, 
or a Vittoria Colonna, or a Fabiola ; but I shall 
strive to be a social star like you, and bless with 
my cheering rays all about me. There were no 
finger-bowls at the table, and papa said that I 
might order a new dinner set. I feel that I have 
begun well. I should paint one myself, if I had 
the time ; but I must give up art and literature 
and society for our dear family. I need a ‘ rat ' ; 
and if you will send me a hair-curler that 
will not burn the hair, I shall be obliged. I don't 


30 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


care for dress, but papa and Aloysius will expect 
me to look like other girls. Sacrifice comes easy, 
if we practise it. We have tea at six, just as we 
did at the convent. I shall change that, and have 
dinner at seven as you do. More later. 

‘‘Your affectionate niece, 

“ Marguerite.*' 

« 

Having put some light blue wax on the envel- 
ope and sealed this letter, she took up her pen to 
write again to Belinda Murray. 

“ I am home at last, my dear Belinda — what a 
queer, old-fashioned name you have ! It makes 
me think of the great, tall, stiff hollyhocks that 
grow by our garden gate ; or the larkspur, or the 
white pinks, or the China roses. It is so prim 
and so like you ! 

“ I am dashing off a few lines to you, in the 
hope that you will do the same. My brothers are 
anything but cultured. I wish you could see 
them ; but you, with your gentle ways, would 
never get on with them. They need firmness. 
I shall change them in a week or so. Our lawn 
is beautiful for a party. I shall give one soon, 
because I must represent papa socially, and Aunt 


LETTERS. 


31 


Gillflory tells me that his family and position are 
better than anybody’s here. If you saw my 
brothers you wouldn’t think they had any blue 
blood in them ; though I must say Fred has a 
certain something about him — when his face is 
clean. Write soon. Good-bye ! 

''Marguerite Laffan, 

de Mr 


32 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


V. 

MARGUERITE'S THREAT. 

Hannah^ had grown old in the service of the 
Laffans, and she had long become accustomed to 
having her own way in the kitchen. She scolded 
the boys and the dogs, but they did not mind her. 
Mr. Laffan had the opinion that many things 
about the house could be changed for the better ; 
and he hoped that Marguerite would know how 
to do this by managing Hannah. 

Marguerite ran lightly into her mother’s room, 
after she had finished her letters, to bid her good- 
night. 

‘‘ Ah, my dear,” her mother said, as she raised 
her hands to her eyes, as if even the shaded light 
in the bedroom were too strong for them, ‘‘ I am 
so glad you are at home ! The household needs 
you very badly. There may come a time when I 
shall be well again ; but just now it is a heavy 
task I have to lay on such young shoulders. Your 


MARGUERITE’S THREAT. 


33 


brothers may try you a little, but patience will do 
much. And, as your father said to me only a few 
moments ago, you can get Hannah to do any- 
thing if you show her a little kindness. Old 
people like the young to be fond of them, my 
child.’’ 

Oh, I shall manage Hannah, never fear ! Aunt 
Gillflory has taught me many things about the 
management of servants.” 

Mrs. Laffan was silent. Still, Margery, you 
must remember that Hannah has the position in 
many ways of a privileged friend. Your aunt’s 
servants are very different. But I am sure a little 
experience, joined with the lessons of your dear 
convent, will clear the way for you. Hannah has 
been very faithful all these years.” 

‘‘ She was paid for it,” said Marguerite, uncon- 
sciously quoting her aunt. 

Mrs. Laffan took her daughter’s hand in hers. 

‘‘No money can pay for such service as hers 
has been.” 

“ Absurd ! ” Marguerite said, under her breath. 
“ A servant is a servant.” 

“ The boys will try you a little, I repeat ; and 

until I get better you will have to look after 

3 


34 : 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


papa’s comfort. I fancy that if you would learn 
to make some nice dishes, he would give up those 
dreadful mineral waters, which make him ill. Did 
you learn to cook at school ? ” 

Oh, yes ! ” said Marguerite. ‘‘ I can make the 
loveliest lady locks — the kind of cakes that Han- 
nah calls maids of honor, — and meringue pie. I 
never cared for plain cooking, though Sister 
Clement scolded and scolded.” 

Ah ! well — perhaps at home you will find 
something to please your dear father. And now 
good-night. You will read to me sometimes, 
dear?” 

Marguerite smoothed her mother’s pillow, kissed 
her tenderly, and then ran down to the study, 
where her father sat bending over his law 
papers. 

Glad to see you, little girl ! ” he said. Your 
mother seems better than ever since you came 
home. We shall have pleasant times together, — 
all of us. The boys are not so well mannered as 
they might be, but a sister’s influence in a house 
is everything ; and I am sure they’ll soon learn 
to imitate your manners. Dear me, how delight- 
ful it is to have one’s own little girl at home 


MARGUERITE'S THREAT. 35 

again ! I wonder if every father is as fond of his 
little girl as I am of you, Margery ? 

Marguerite sat on the side of her father's chair, 
and put her arm about his neck. He pushed the 
green shade up from his eyes and folded his 
papers. 

“ Talk about yourself. Had you many particu- 
lar friends at school ? " 

Only one : my cousin Belinda." 

A fashionable girl ? " asked her father, with a 
sound of doubt in his voice. 

Marguerite laughed. ^‘You ought to see 
Belinda. She is pretty ; no style about her at all. 
Indeed, papa, the Sisters do not let any girl be 
fashionable very long." 

God bless them ! 

‘‘ Belinda wants to earn her living teaching 
music." 

‘‘ We'll see to that," said Mr. Laffan. There's 
plenty of room. She could help you to manage 
the house. I'm afraid you'll be lonely." 

Marguerite laughed again. “ Why, Belinda 
wouldn't be of the slightest use ; she would just 
spoil the boys. I’d like to have her ; but she 
must earn money, you knbw." 


36 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Mr. Laffan brightened. Of course. Let her 
teach music to the boys. A1 has a voice, — at 
least, I hear it often enough. A little money 
spent that way would not be wasted.*' 

The boys would just walk over her. She’d 
be as fond of those horrid dogs as they are in 
no time. Besides, papa. Aunt Gillflory ” 

“ Never mind,” said Mr. Laffan, frowning. 

Your aunt’s way of living is very different from 
ours. The Sisters are safer advisers for you than 
she is. And I am glad you prefer this quiet 
Belinda to that showy Gillflory girl.” 

Marguerite blushed. 

I have always regretted,” he continued, that 
you spent your last two vacations at my sister’s. 
Her life is not the peaceful, contented, simple life 
that ours ought to be.” 

Marguerite was silent. She heard murmurs 
without the door. She turned, and two figures 
in nightgowns sprang up the stairs. Fred was 
sucking his fingers, which had recently been thrust 
into a barrel of brown sugar in the cellar ; and 
Aloysius had half a dozen of Hannah’s cookies 
stowed under his arm. 

Did she see us?” whispered Fred. 


MARGUERITE’S THREAT. 


37 

‘‘ I don't know. If she tells, I’ll ” here 

Aloysius danced on the step, and shook his fist at 
the study door. 

Marguerite put her head out. ‘‘Go to bed, 
children, or I shall be obliged to punish you,” she 
said. “ Good-night, papa ! Don’t stay up too 
late.” 

“ Punish us ! ” whispered Aloysius. And Fred 
made a motion as if he were scalping an Indian. 


38 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


VI. 

MARGUERITE IS FIRM. 

Aloysius and Fred were early risers; so were 
Prince and Morfido ; so were the pigeons, and the 
three black puppies, and the two yellow ones. 
Marguerite heard them under her window. She 
had determined to have a long sleep ; but Fred’s 
shouts, Aloysius’ songs, the yelping of the dogs, 
and the whir of wings passing her window, awak- 
ened her. 

She looked out of her window. There seemed 
to her good reason why the dogs should yelp. 
They were harnessed to an empty box on wheels, 
in which Fred sat. The steeds were very un- 
equally matched, Morfido, the Japanese dog, be- 
ing much smaller than Prince. He was deter- 
mined to turn around in his harness and to roll 
over; while Prince would not move at all, in spite 
of all Fred’s urging. 


MARGUERITE IS FIRM. 39 

Marguerite, horrified, put her head out the 
front window. 

Fred ! she exclaimed. ‘‘Why are you so 
cruel ? '' 

“ Who is cruel ? '' asked Fred, showing his teeth 
in one of his grins. 

“ Why, you ! ” 

“ I am not crool,'* said Fred. “ You’re another. 
Al, she s calling me names ! ” 

Aloysius came from behind the hedge of arbor- 
vitae which separated the garden from the stable 
yard. His head and shoulders were covered with 
pigeons, while his two favorite white ones stood 
on his outstretched arms. 

“ Who is calling you names, Fred?” 

“ She !'* cried Fred, beginning to bawl at the 
top of his voice. 

“ Fll tell papa ! ” exclaimed Aloysius. “ It is 
bad enough for boys to fight. But I think a girl 
had better be saying her prayers than making her 
little brother cry so early in the morning.” 

Hannah appeared at this moment, with her 
apron full of strawberries ; and Fred, sure of sym- 
pathy, began to bawl louder than ever. Prince 
sat on the ground, and Morfido rolled over and 


40 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


over, until he was hopelessly entangled in the 
white string which Fred used for reins. 

O Hannah ! Hannah ! '' wailed Fred. 

‘‘ Poor deary ! poor deary ! What is the mat- 
ter ? asked Hannah. 

“ She ! '' yelled Fred ; while large tears, which 
always appeared at the slightest notice, rolled 
down his cheeks. 

Hannah looked about her in perplexity. 

Marg said something to him,” said Aloysius : 
‘‘ she called him names.” 

Hannah looked up at the window, from which 
Marguerite had disappeared. 

‘‘ She might have something better to do,” 
Marguerite heard Hannah say. 

Am I crool? ” wailed Fred. I haven’t done 
anything. That’s what Hannah says when I kill 
flies. I didn’t kill a fly this morning.” 

Never mind her,” said Aloysius. ‘‘She 
thought you were hurting the dogs. You can’t 
hurt dogs ; but girls don’t know.” 

Aloysius went back to the stable with the 
pigeons. Fred disentangled Morfido, dried 
his tears, and began to urge on his steeds 
again. 


MARGUERITE IS FIRM. 


41 


Marguerite said her prayers, but she felt that 
the day had opened badly. She reddened a^ she 
remembered Hannah’s tone. Well, she would 
soon teach her not to make such remarks. She 
would bring the boys to terms, and drive those 
horrible dogs out of the house. She tied a blue 
ribbon in her hair, and looked at herself in va- 
rious attitudes in the glass, even after the break- 
fast bell had rung. Her father was waiting for 
her. 

Hannah, with a cloud on her brow, brought in 
the coffee. Marguerite took her mother’s place 
at the table. 

‘‘ Dear me ! ” she said. Aunt Gillflory always 
has a silver urn.” 

Did you see mamma yet ? ” her father asked, 
not hearing her remark. 

''Oh, I forgot ! ” she said. " I’ll just run up- 
stairs now.” 

"And keep breakfast waiting ?” said Hannah 
sharply. " The coffee — the best in the land, if I 
do say it — will be spoiled.” 

" Mother will like to see you every morning, 
dear,” her father said, gently. 

" I will be sure to remember, papa,” she replied. 


42 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


** Oh, just look at that boy's hands! I don’t be- 
lieve you washed them before you came to the 
table, Fred.” 

Fred looked at his hands, which were gray — 
almost black, in fact, like late twilight. 

‘‘ Leave the table ! ” said his father ; and do 
not come back until you look like a gentleman. 
Do you hear, sir? ” 

Fred opened his mouth, and let out a roar that 
almost made the table tremble ; but he obeyed. 
Marguerite heard him say in the kitchen to Han- 
nah : S/^/s at me again ! ” 

Aloysius scowled ; and when Hannah brought 
in the toast she gave Marguerite ‘‘ one of her 
looks.” After a time Fred returned, somewhat 
less artificial in color, showing that Hannah had 
used soap and water freely. When his father was 
not looking, he rolled up balls of bread and aimed 
^them at his sister. She appeared to take no 
notice of them. 

Firmness,” she said to herself. ‘‘ I will be 
firm. Aunt Gillflory is always firm.” 

She did not draw attention to the deficiencies 
of the breakfast table, but she determined to ask 
her father for enough money to put everything 


MARGUERITE IS FIRM. 43 

into more elegant condition; and then she would 
have her lawn party. 

After her father had gone, she summoned her 
brothers to her room; but they did not deign to 
come. They laughed and danced on the porch. 


44 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


VII. 

HOW THE DOGS FELT. 

It seems to me if people understood dogs 
properly, there would be less trouble in the world. 
If boys and girls would sometimes try to learn 
lessons from dogs, they would be the better for 
it. St. Francis of Assisi understood animals 
better than any other man that ever lived ; and 
they understood him. Y ou know how he preached 
to his little sisters the birds, and how they flew 
about him and perched on his shoulders. And 
you know, too, how the wolf of Gubbio listened 
to him, and made up his mind not to eat little 
children as soon as he told him it was wrong ; 
and that he gave St. Francis his great paw, and 
shook hands with him as a token of repentance. 

Now, it seems to me that if Marguerite Laffan 
had thought less of herself and more of the 
animals around her, she would have escaped some 
trials. 


HOW THE DOGS FELT. 


45 


Morfido was not beautiful. He certainly was 
like a fat sausage mounted on four legs, and his 
eyes were very like black beads. But, then, as 
Fred said, he had his feelings. It is true that 
Prince’s tail was not beautiful, as the tails of some 
Scotch terriers are ; but his one eye was a clever 
and knowing eye. Marguerite might have under- 
stood these things. Sister Clement had often 
sighed over wliat she called Marguerite’s want of 
consideration. Other people might have called 
it selfishness, but Sister Clement was too chari- 
table for that. 

Mrs. Laffan was anxious that the house should 
become more orderly ; and she hoped that Mar- 
guerite would make it so, and also teach the boys 
some things. She was not w^ell enough herself 
to do much, and so the boys and the dogs — 
principally the dogs — had become the real rulers 
of the house. 

Some people may blame Prince and Morfido 
for taking a place that did not belong to them. 
It may be said that dogs have no business to put 
themselves on the parlor cushions all the time, or 
to hang to the table by their paws during meals. 
But dogs are like children in that respect. If 


46 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


you give them a foot which they ought not to 
have, they will take a mile when they get a chance. 
Even Hannah did not dare to interfere with them. 
It was her private opinion that Morfido was ‘^a 
snake ” and a pagan.’' And while she looked 
on Prince with a certain affection because he was 
Scotch, she did not approve of his manners. But 
she had never dared to say much against the 
dogs, since they belonged to her darling boys. 

Prince saw very soon that Marguerite did not 
like him, and he knew that she did not like him 
because he was ugly. Prince was rather inclined 
to be nice to Marguerite. He had once known a 
girl who made the best fishballs he had ever tasted, 
and he first thought that Marguerite might be 
that kind of girl. He soon found out, to his 
sorrow, that she was not. He would not have 
minded that so much, had he not seen by her 
eyes that she disliked him because he was ugly. 
After this he snarled whenever she passed him. 
Morfido, who had a good heart in his Japanese 
way, was disgusted when she called him a nasty 
beast,” and hit him with the stick of her umbrella. 

Prince and Morfido noticed these things, and 
thought a great deal about them as they lay dur- 


HOW THE DOGS FELT. 


47 


ing the afternoons on the embroidered cushions 
of the parlor sofa. Perhaps they did not think : 
one cannot be sure whether dogs think or not ; 
but, at least, they know a great many things, — 
and if animals do not think, how were the birds 
and the wolf and the lambs able to understand 
St. Francis of Assisi ? If we were good enough, 
the animals would understand us well enough. 
They know what a little baby is saying, don’t 
they? So, while Marguerite was making her 
plans, and thinking of Prince and Morfido as if 
they were mere brutes, the dogs were noticing 
her a great deal. 

The boys had been disappointed in their sister. 
She proposed that all the pigeons should be killed 
and sold ; she refused, too, to lend Fred a silk 
handkerchief to tie about Morfido’s head one day 
when he cut his ear. She did not know how to 
make kites ; she would not cut out pin-wheels ; 
she wanted to teach them French, — altogether no 
sister was ever such a failure. 


48 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


VIII. 

AN AFTERNOON CALL. 

Sister Clement was very fond of her old 
pupils. She often sighed to think that they 
should leave the shelter of her wings before they 
were better able to take care of themselves. They 
felt that they were ready for life the moment 
they received their graduating medal. But Sister 
Clement knew better than this. She had more 
fears for Marguerite than for Belinda. Marguerite’s 
fashionable aunt, who visited her as frequently as 
possible, and whom Marguerite visited, had a bad 
influence on the young girl, and made her see life 
as one sees a stick in the water — crookedly. 

Belinda was alone in the world, and she would 
be forced to earn her living among strangers. 
Still, Sister Clement thought of her with a peace- 
ful feeling, while she was disturbed about Mar- 
guerite. 

Marguerite’s first callers at her home were the 
Misses Ross, very fashionable young girls, who 


AN AFTERNOON CALL. 4:9 

drove up in a yellow dog-cart with jingling chains, 
and with their whip held at the proper angle. 

Marguerite rushed down to see them at once, 
leaving her mother’s cup of tea cooling on the 
table. She noticed with discontent that they 
had visiting cards of their own. 

“ Dear me ! ” said the elder Miss Ross, whose 
bang came down to her eyebrows, I am so glad 
to see you ! But we had such a time coming in ! 
There were two horrid boys at the door with the 
beastliest dogs ! Bertha and I almost fainted. 
Why don’t you have them driven away ? ” 

“ They are my brothers,” answered Marguerite, 
blushing. 

''Poor dear! How you must suffer!” said 
Miss Ross, pressing her hand. " I know what 
boys are*. To think that you and those creatures 
are of the same family, — it seems so queer ! ’ 

Marguerite felt a little resentful at this ; but, as 
the Misses Ross were so stylish, she did not dare 
to show it. Besides, she was ashamed of her 
brothers. 

" You have a croquet set on the lawn,” said the 
second Miss Ross. " It is so old-fashioned ! 

Everybody plavs tennis now.” 

4 


50 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘ The boys like it/' Marguerite said, again 
blushing for the croquet set ; and papa wants to 
please them." 

I hope you won’t let your papa sacrifice you 
to those creatures, my dear," said the elder Miss 
Ross (she was just seventeen), tapping Marguerite 
on the cheek with a motherly air. ‘‘You need 
society." 

“ That’s what my aunt, Mrs. Gillflory, of 
Chicago, says. I wish you would tell papa 
that." 

“ Is Mrs. Gillflory your aunt ? ’’ asked the elder 
Miss Ross. “ Dear me ! She is very well known. 
She goes into the best South Side society. You 
must come to see us soon, and present us to your 
aunt." 

Marguerite eagerly promised. She did not 
know what to say next. She tried to think. In 
the few English novels she had read, people rang 
for tea at this hour in the afternoon. 

“ Let me give you some tea," she said. 

“Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed the elder Miss 
Ross. 

“ Oh, how too sweetly nice ! " added the Other, 
sucking the handle of her parasol. 


AN AFTERNOON CALL. 


51 


Marguerite touched the little bell on the table. 
After a moment Hannah appeared, followed by 
the boys and the two dogs. 

What’s wantin’ ? ” asked Hannah. 

Tea, of course,” replied Marguerite, with an 
air of dignity. 

Tea !” repeated Hannah, in a loud whisper. 
“ And am I to leave my preserving to make tea for 
a lot of idle girls at this hour? I’ve just drawn 
a cup for your mother, which you’ve left cooling 
somewhere. It’s no tea you’ll get to-day, unless 
you make it yourself.” 

The Misses Ross looked at each other and 
giggled. 

“ They’re laughing at us ! ” remarked Aloysius 
from the doorway. 

‘‘ I don’t like these girls, Hannah,” said Fred. 

May I make Morfido snap at ’em ? ” 

The Misses Ross arose at this threat, and fled 
as quickly as they could. 

I thought I’d make ’em run ! ” cried Fred, in 
high glee. ‘‘ One of them tried to hit Prince with 
her whip as she came in.” 

Why do you have such queer friends ? ” Han- 
nah asked, sternly. ‘‘The Ross lassies are just 


52 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


whipper-snappers out of a fashionable New York 
school, with their heads full of nonsense. If it 
were for anybody else, Td have made tea and 
given some of my cake with pleasure. But not 
for such silly things as they are.'’ 

Marguerite turned her back to Hannah, and 
Fred saw a tear fall on her hand. From the 
window she could see the Rosses driving off with 
their heads in the air. 

She is crying," said Fred, opening his eyes in 
wonder. '' I never thought big girls cried." 

Aloysius had a soft heart. He went up to 
Marguerite and put his arm around her. 

Never mind," he said; we shall not do it 
again. And Hannah shall get you tea whenever 
you want it. Don't cry ! " 

Prince rubbed himself against Marguerite's 
dress : for he, too, hated tears. But Marguerite 
turned, and boxed her brother's ears, and — alas 
that I should write it ! — kicked Prince. Hence- 
forth war was declared. 


THE NOTE. 


53 


IX. 

THE NOTE. 

Having heard much of the Ross girls, Mr. 
Laffan did not approve of them. They were very 
gay and fashionable, and much given to the read- 
ing of novels. So far Marguerite had not done 
much to improve things at home. She had com- 
plained about Hannah, about the china, about the 
old-fashioned furniture. And, after she had re- 
turned the visit of the Misses Ross, she became 
more ashamed than ever of her father's house. 
This was, indeed, a sad state of affairs. 

You must make the best of things, my dear," 
said her father. “ I shall soon have to send the 
boys to college, and I must save up money for 
that. I hoped that you would help me." 

Dear me ! " answered Marguerite, pettishly. 
“ I didn't think you wanted me to be different 
from other people. The Rosses have a new Vic- 


54 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


toria and the loveliest rugs ! I don’t see why we 
shouldn’t have them.” 

The Rosses are rich,” said Mr. LafTan ; ** and, 
besides. Marguerite, they like things of that sort. 
Your mother and I are more simple in our tastes. 
We are anxious that you should be comfortable, 
but not that you should be fashionable.” 

Marguerite pouted. After a moment’s silence, 
she said: 

‘‘ Really, papa, you are just as old-fashioned as 
the Sisters ! ” 

I wish you were a little more like them,” her 
father answered with a sigh. “ I am sure that 
your aunt’s influence has spoiled you.” 

I don’t think so, papa. You ought to lead 
society here. And Aunt Gillflory thinks so too. 
If you don’t do something in that way, A1 and 
Fred will have no social position when they grow 
up. I can’t do everything aloney 

Her father laughed. ‘‘ Nobody wants you to 
do anything, except to wait on your mother a lit- 
tle, make the boys and the dogs a little more civ- 
ilized, and be a nice, kind girl to everybody.” 

Aunt says ” 

Do not mind what your aunt says. She 


THE NOTE. 


55 


thinks too much of fashion and worldliness. Do 
help me, my dear, and you shall have your 
reward.” 

The father and daughter were standing in the 
garden, near a bed of blazing red and yellow nas- 
turtiums. Tears came to Marguerite's eyes. 
Something in his voice touched her. She stooped 
to pick a red nasturtium, and, standing on tip- 
toe, she put it into his buttonhole. 

‘‘ Is it a bargain ? ” he asked, taking his daugh- 
ter's hand. 

‘‘Yes, papa; it's a bargain,” she answered, 
standing on tiptoe again to kiss him ; for he was 
a tall man. 

At that moment Aloysius and Prince came 
rushing up the path. Aloysius held two letters 
high in the air. They were both for Marguerite. 
As his father was present, Aloysius gave her the 
letters without any attempt at teasing. But when 
Prince brushed against her dress, she pulled away 
the skirt with an air of great disgust. 

“ We'll not bring your letters next time,” mut- 
tered her brother. “ Don't mind her. Prince ! ” 

Marguerite tore open her first letter. 

“ It is from Belinda,” she said. “ She is not 


56 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


well ; she is in the city these hot days, and she 
has not found work yet.” 

“ Let her come here to teach the boys,” Mr. 
Laffan said, taking the letter from Marguerite. 
“ I am glad she has the good sense to put her 
addre.ssat the top of the page. I’ll telegraph to 
her as I go to the post-office.” 

Marguerite looked only half pleased. What 
would her fashionable friends, the Rosses, say to 
plain Belinda? She chased away the thought at 
once, and almost blushed for it, as her eyes met 
her father’s serene glance. She opened the other 
note. ' 

“ Oh, I am so happy!” she exclaimed. “The 
Rosses ask me over to spend Thursday and Fri- 
day, and there’s to be a dinner and a dance. 
Dear me ! I wish I had some new dresses.” 

“ If I telegraph, Belinda will come on Friday,” 
observed Mr. Laffan. 

“ Another girl coming 1 ” cried Aloysius. “ O 
papa, don’t have any more girls come here ! 
They spoil all the fun. Prince,” he whispered to 
the alert Scotch terrier, “ we’ll make her go 
home pretty quick, sha’n’t we?” 

Prince winked his one eye. 


THE NOTE. 


57 


‘‘ Isn’t it lovely ! ” exclaimed Marguerite. 
'' And, O papa, will you hire Place’s carriage to 
take me over.^ I am really ashamed of our old 
trap. And, O papa, I wish you would let me buy 
a wreath of wild roses I saw down at the shop the 
other day ! They would be just the thing for my 
white evening dress.” 

Mr. Laffan turned away. Surely Marguerite 
must see that he wanted her to stay at home. 

‘'Your mother is less well than usual,” he re- 
marked further. 

“ Oh, she will not miss me ! ” answered Mar- 
guerite. “ I must go, — I can’t refuse. Miss Ross 
will take no denial.” 

“What does she say.^” asked Mr. Laffan, 
stretching out his hand for the note. 

Marguerite blushed. She did not give it to him. 

“ Why ? ” he asked, and a surprised look crossed 
his face. 

“ Oh, I don’t care to show the note to you, 
papa ! It is just some girlish nonsense, — nothing 
more.” 

“ I did not think that you would have any se- 
crets from me, Marguerite,” he 5aid, with a touch 
of displeasure in his voice. 


58 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


“It is not a secret, papa : it is just nonsense, 
as I said,'' Marguerite replied, thrusting the paper 
into her pocket. 

Mr. Laffan was silent. He felt that he under- 
stood girls so little that he did not care to make 
a mistake by insisting on seeing the note. 

Marguerite dropped her head among the nas- 
turtiums. 

“You are very young to go out," her father 
went on. “ I think society can wait a while for 
you." 

“ I have been graduated ! " exclaimed the girl, 
raising her head, suddenly. 

“ Still, you are very young. And the Sisters 
did not intend to train you for society, but for 
home." 

“ Mrs. Gillflory " 

“ Please do not mention your aunt's name agein. 
Marguerite." 

“I can't be penned up here like a prisoner ! " 
she cried, bursting into tears. 

“ Penned up here with your mother and father 
and brothers ! " 

“ And the dogs and the pigeons ! " put in Aloy- 
sius, who had been listening. 


THE NOTE. 


59 . 


‘‘I must go out sometimes ! said Marguerite. 

And the Rosses, you must admit, are the most 
desirable acquaintances in the neighborhood.'* 

I wish that you would decline this invitation," 
her father said, going into the house. 

Marguerite dried her eyes and held her head 
high. She was determined to have her way. 


60 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


X. 

THE WHEEL-CHAIR. 

Marguerite’s father was worried. He had 
felt such pleasure when his little girl ” came from 
school that it had seemed to him as if he should 
never have to worry again. She would make her 
mother’s life brighter, she would help to make the 
boys better, and take from him many of the bur- 
dens which were heavy upon him. But she had 
so far only made the burdens heavier. And this 
matter of the note seemed to him more serious 
than perhaps it was. But there was a secret kept 
from him, and it saddened this kind father to think 
that his daughter should have anything in her 
mind that she could not tell him. He did not 
care to mention the matter to her mother : he felt 
that she might feel as sad as himself. Probably 
if Marguerite had realized how she was troubling 
her father, she would have gone to him, and made 
him feel how little the Rosses were to her in com- 


THE WHEEL-CHAIR. 


61 


panson with him. Like many other daughters, 
Marguerite did not know how deeply her father 
loved her. 

After her talk with him about the Ross visit, 
she went up to her room to think it over. She 
called to her mind Mrs. Gillflory’s counsels and 
the different novels she had read in Chicago, — 
novels that gave brilliant pictures of life in Eng- 
land. Marguerite secretly admired the Rosses, 
because they seemed to be so English.” And 
so she wrote at once a note accepting the invita- 
tion, and signing herself Peggy.” Peggy was so 
English, it seemed to her ; and she had always 
been ashamed of Marguerite, — a name which her 
mother loved very much. 

Her conscience reproached her, but she stifled 
it. Her father had not actually forbidden her to 
go to the Rosses, and go she would. Still, she 
did not feel easy about it. And then, too, she 
felt that she was lacking in respect to her father ; 
for Miss Ross had written, in a postscript to that 
note : ‘‘ Papa would have asked your father to 
dinner, too ; but, as you said yourself, he is so old- 
fashioned that he would feel out of place.” 

Marguerite's cheeks flamed as she read those 


62 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


words. Of course they were not intended as an 
insult, but how could she show them to her father ? 
She had said he was ‘‘ old-fashioned '' ; but some- 
how the word took a different meaning when she 
read it in another’s handwriting. She bitterly re- 
gretted her thoughtlessness and her folly; but 
now it was too late. 

At any rate, she would go. It was her first 
chance of getting into society worthy of her. She 
brushed her hair carefully, and, locking up the 
note in her desk, went to her mother’s room. 

The invalid’s face brightened. I am so glad 
you have come. Marguerite!” her mother said, 
giving her a thin, transparent hand. ‘‘And I have 
good news for you.” 

Marguerite smiled. Perhaps her mother would 
announce a new dress for Thursday. 

“ My wheel-chair will be home on Thursday. 
It is on the softest springs, and your father says 
that now, for the first time in many years, I may 
go out into the air. And you, dear, shall wheel 
me around the garden. I can hardly wait. Think 
of being wheeled through the nasturtium walk by 
my own little girl 1 Why, Marguerite, it seems 
only yesterday that you were the sweetest little 


THE WHEEL-CHAIR. 


63 


baby ; and here you are large and strong, and I 
am the helpless one.'* Mrs. Laffan pressed her 
daughter's hand and looked lovingly into her eyes. 

We thought the doctor would never consent to 
my going out again. But I think the joy of your 
home-coming made me better, and the chair is to 
be ready on Thursday evening." 

Marguerite was silent. I am so sorry," she 
said, after a pause ; but I have an engagement 
on Thursday." 

I know, dear ; I know," answered her mother, 
gaily. ^‘Your great friend, Belinda, is coming. 
But the best of it is that you can wheel me 
— just think of it! me ! — to the station to meet 
her. I shall join in your happiness." 

Marguerite hesitated. Should she tear up her 
note accepting the Rosses' invitation? No: she 
would go, — she must go. 

I meant, mother, that the Rosses have asked 

me for a two days' visit, including Thursday " 

Oh ! " her mother said, with a note of disap- 
pointment in her voice. I did not know it. Do 
you want to go ? " 

Well, mother, you know 

But the Rosses are such fashionable people, 


64 : 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


I hope you have something nice to wear. You 
know I have not been able to look after your 
wardrobe as I ought. Do you really want to go ? 

I don't see how I can refuse. My frocks are 
rather plain, but I suppose I shall have to make 
them do." 

“ Did you meet the Misses Ross at the school ? " 
asked Mrs. Laffan. 

‘‘Oh, no!" said Marguerite, with a smile. 
“ They would never have stayed at the convent. 
They went to Miss Blank's, on Fifth Avenue, — a 
lovely school indeed : opera boxes, promenades, 
bouquets from friends — everything. They are 
beautifully finished." 

Mrs. Laffan smiled a little. 

“ Your father says that they can't speak decent 
English, and I hope you will not acquire their 
slang. Must you really go ? " her mother asked, 
gently. 

“ I can't refuse," answered Marguerite, tighten- 
ing her lips. 

f 

I wish you could." 

“ Father did not tell me to do so." 

“ He knows best, my dear. But the Rosses 
are not the kind of people I want you to be iiiti- 


THE WHEEL-CHAIR. 65 

mate with. They believe in nothing but money 
and fashion. Do try not to go.” 

I must, mamma.” 

Mrs. Laffan sighed. Her wheel-chair was com- 
ing on Thursday, and there would be no daughter 
to enjoy it with her. Marguerite laid a bunch of 
heliotrope on the bed-quilt and went away. Mrs. 
Laffan cried softly to herself. This wheel-chair 
w^as, after her daughter’s return, the event of her 
year. When the boys came in they saw the tears 
on her cheeks, and they said : 

It’s that Marg! Mamma never cried before 
she came. Wait till the other girl comes, and 
we’ll make it hot for her ! ” 

Mr. Laffan saw traces of tears too. He did not 

ask the cause of them : he guessed it. 

5 


66 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XI. 

SHE DEPARTS. 

Thursday came. Marguerite had thought a 
great deal about the Rosses' party. Several times 
she had half resolved to refuse to go ; but then 
she remembered Mrs. Gillflory, and the delight 
she would have in writing about her adventures 
in a long letter. 

Mr. Laffan was grave and silent ; he reproached 
himself for having let his daughter visit his 
gay and worldly sister, in spite of the gentle 
remonstrances of the nuns. To her visits he 
attributed all the frivolity of .the young girl’s 
action. 

Marguerite knew she was doing wrong, and she 
sulked in her room during the days preceding 
the Rosses’ entertainment. She looked over her 
stock of dresses, and spent most of her time before 
a looking-glass. 


bHE DEPARTS. 


67 


Mr. Laffan had a hard time explaining his 
daughter’s absence from her mother’s room. 
Mrs. Laffan fretted sadly, and seemed to grow 
worse. 

‘‘ Marguerite is more fond of these strangers 
than she is of me,” she said ; and I was so 
happy to have her at home ! ” 

Fred saw the tears in her eyes, and he and 
Morfido went out to find consolation. After a 
while he returned, smiling, with a bunch of 
short-stemmed daisies, which he laid on the 
quilt. 

His mother kissed him. ‘‘After all,” she 
remarked, “ it is nice to have a little boy at 
home.” 

Fred and Morfido were so pleased with this 
that they jumped into the bed and rolled over 
each other. It was uncomfortable for Mrs. 
Laffan ; but she saw that they meant well. 

Aloysius spent most of his time in devising 
tricks for the torture of the new girl who was 
coming on Thursday. 

“ We don’t want another,” he said to Prince. 
“ The house hasn’t been the same since Marg 
came, — she wants us to call her Peggy. Oh, my ! 


68 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


ril call her Piggy !” Prince raised his head and 
seemed to grin at this stroke of wit. ‘‘ Pve tied 
a string across the garden gate, and when she 
comes she'll fall flat. Then she'll see she isn't 
wanted, and go home. I did think of putting 
burrs in her bed, but I can't find the burrs ; ground 
glass would dOj but it might hurt her too much. 
I don't want to hurt her. Prince : I just want her 
to go away. Some people like girls ; we don't. 
Because why? Hannah's cross, papa's solemn, 
mamma cries ; — she makes us wash our faces, and 
she has tried to send you away." 

Prince erected his ears and danced around 
Aloysius ; it seemed plain that he did not want 
more girls in the house. 

Mr. Laffan thought at one time that he would 
command Marguerite not to visit the Rosses, but 
his wife begged him not to do so. 

‘‘ The Rosses are not bad people," she said ; 

they are only very fashionable. Take the mat- 
ter gently. If Marguerite does not see for her- 
self that she is wrong, force will not make her 
do so." 

So Mr. Laffan was silent. He ordered the 
carriage for .Marguerite, who hastily kissed her 


SHE DEPARTS. 69 

mother with averted face, and was off, with all 
her best finery. 

For the first few minutes of her drive she felt 
like turning back. How nice it would be to run 
up to her mother's room and to say with her arms 
around her mother's neck: will stay with 

you ! " But pride, and the thought of what 
Aunt Gillflory would say, kept her back. A short 
time after this her spirits rose. She had her white 
muslin dress with the blue ribbons inher trunk, and 
her new lace fan. There would be much pleasure 
in displaying these things, and in showing the 
Rosses that she was not a humble country mouse, 
but a young woman who had gone into the best 
South Side society. She wondered whether she 
would wear her Irish point bertha the first even- 
ing or not. She finally decided that it would be 
too splendid ; shq would keep it for the dinner and 
the dance. Thus occupied, she forgot her regrets, 
and even began to take delight in the fresh air 
and beautiful green of the hedges she was pass- 
ing, all crowded with birds' nests. She leant out 
the window to follow a rabbit with her eyes, and 
was delighted to see an immense mud-turtle creep- 
ing out of the wet ditch. Marguerite was very 


70 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


much of a child, although she had been graduated ; 
for, in spite of her aunt. Sister Clement had kept 
her as simple as possible. 

The Rosses' house was painted brown and red. 
it was very large ; little rooms and big porches 
and small paned windows were all mixed up with 
one another. The Rosses called it a Queen Anne 
cottage, and they had Windermere " painted 
over the front gate. 

Marguerite thought that this would give her a 
chance of talking about literature ; for she re- 
membered that Windermere was connected with 
Wordsworth. She began to make up brilliant 
conversations. 

A servant, in a green coat with brass buttons, 
helped her out of the carriage. She was not sure 
whether it was proper to thank him or not, but 
she bowed her head after the manner of her 
aunt. 

She found herself in a hall with a fireplace on 
one side and a bookcase on the other. Oh, she 
thought, if her father would only have a man- 
servant in livery and a hall like that! The fire- 
place made her somewhat afraid of the Rosses. 
She had never seen a fireplace in a hall before. 


SHE DEPARTS. 


71 


She tried to think of her grandmother's Irish 
point bertha, — that, at least, would convince the 
Rosses that she was somebody, even if they had 
no fireplace in the hall at home. 


72 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XIL 

THE GRAPE-ARBOR. 

Marguerite found her reception a little cold. 
She expected to find the Misses Ross, with open 
arms, awaiting her. Instead of that she was 
shown*to her room by a maid, who opened her 
trunk and laid her dresses out on the bed. 

How plain your things are ! '' said the maid. 

I think you had better send for some party 
dresses.’' 

Marguerite blushed. She was afraid of this 
haughty maid. She felt like the little girl in 
Punch who said : “ Mamma, will the waiter be 
angry with me if I don’t eat all the soup ? ” 

She tried to be brave, and she said : 

“ The white dress with the blue ribbons is my 
party dress.” 

‘‘ Dear me ! ” said the maid. 

After she had gone. Marguerite sat in a low 
chair by the window and cried. She could see 


THE GRAPE-ARBOR. 


rs 

her own chimneys from the Rosses* house ; she 
wished she were back home again. How she 
loved the very smoke coming out of those chim- 
neys ! And it was for this that she had allowed 
these people to slight her father. And Belinda 
was coming, too ! If she were only back home 
she would never, never want to go into society 
again, no matter what Mrs. Gillflory said, — never ! 

After a while the maid came back with chicken 
salad and biscuits and tea on a waiter. 

“You are not expected to go down until just 
before five o*clock. There*ll be five o*clock tea 
in the grape-arbor,** the maid said, as she put the 
waiter down on the table. “ We*re trying to live 
in the English fashion ; since Miss Ross went 
abroad, the house has changed. I can*t say I 
like it, but we all have to suffer for style.** 

Marguerite faced the chicken salad and the tea 
disconsolately. She disliked chicken salad. She 
had been accustomed to three solid meals at the 
convent, and a goutee, which made four. It was 
a little after twelve o’clock, and she thought sadly 
of the abundant dinner at home. The prospect 
of waiting until eight o’clock for dinner was not 
pleasant. Still, she felt that she, too, must suffer 


74 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


for the sake of style. She ate a biscuit and 
drank the tea. 

What was to be done, then ? There were no 
books in the room. She saw a pretty desk, 
dainty and inlaid with brass ; but the ink was 
dry in the stand, and there was no pen. What 
could she do ? The smooth lawn, with a tennis 
court near it, was very tempting ; but she dared 
not go down to it. At last she found a book in 
one of the closets. She opened it ; it was a 
novel by Ouida. She had nothing to do ; should 
she read it or not ? Sister Clement had said. 
No.’' But it was very tempting. She dipped 
into it, and found a highly colored description of 
a ball. No: she would not read it; she would 
keep her word to Sister Clement. She put the 
book back into the closet. 

The house was very quiet. The birds in the 
trees seemed to have gone to sleep ; the hush of 
the noon sunshine was over the whole landscape. 
What could she do ? Before she knew it, she 
was fast asleep. 

When she awoke the elder Miss Ross was in 
the room. 

‘‘ Oh, my dear,” she said, ‘‘ it’s time to dress ! 


THE GRAPE-ARBOR. 75 

‘‘ It’s after five. Put on your best gown and 
come down to tea.” 

Marguerite rubbed her eyes, kissed Miss Ros^ 
on the cheek, and dressed as quickly as she could. 

Why, how plain you are ! ” said Miss Ross. 

You’re dressed quite like a school-girl. This 
dress I have on cost a hundred and fifty.” 

Miss Ross held her head high, and walked up 
and down the room, a mass of feathers and laces 
and fur. 

I am only a school-girl,” said Marguerite, 
timidly. 

‘‘ Well, Peggy, we’ll soon make a belle of you. 
You’re not half bad-looking,” said Miss Ross. 

‘‘I am afraid I shall never be made into a lady 
of society,” said Marguerite. 

Don’t say ‘ lady,’ ” said Miss Ross : that 
word’s gone out of fashion. We’re all women 
now.” 

Marguerite sighed and wished she were home. 
When she was ready she went down to the grape- 
arbor. There Miss Ross and her sister Molly 
were making tea by immersing little silver balls 
in tiny cups. There were ten or twelve young 
people there. Several of them were young men. 


76 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


They were all introduced to Marguerite. And, 
later, Colonel Ross made his appearance. He 
was tall, erect, white-whiskered ; he had been in 
the army. Marguerite liked his face. She could 
not keep up with the chatter of the young people, 
who talked and laughed, and paid little attention 
to her. She sat in a corner with a teacup in her 
hand. She hoped they would have some music ; 
then she might take her own place, for she was 
sure that she could play well. It is not pleasant 
to feel as if one were ‘‘ left out.*' She could not 
help thinking that if the Rosses had fashionable 
manners, they were not what the Sisters would 
have called good manners. 

At last somebody spoke of music. One of the 
young men — he wore a blue and white tennis 
suit — suggested music. The color came to Mar- 
guerite's cheeks ; now would come her chance. 

You play, I know," said Molly Ross to her ; 
'' but though we have a piano that cost fifteen 
hundred dollars, we never use it. Nobody plays 
the piano now except professionals. When papa 
goes," she whispered, you'll see some fun. We 
all play the banjo and mandolin." 

After a few courteous words to Marguerite, the 


THE GRAPE-ARBOR. 


77 


Colonel drank his tea and went away. Then the 
young people began to laugh. Miss Ross seized 
the tennis cap of the young man, put it on one 
side of her head, and said, with an imitation of 
the manner of a street-boy: 

‘‘ One of you blokes, gim me a cigarette ! 

Everybody laughed. It was so very funny ! 
A box of cigarettes was handed around, and each 
of the six girls lighted one. 

“ Excuse me,’' said Marguerite, frightened ; I 
must go ! ” 

Sit down, you little goose ! ” cried Miss Ross, 
pulling her skirt. 

One of the young men threw the tennis cap 
on her head, and Molly Ross thrust a lighted cig- 
arette between her lips. She stood up bewildered. 
At this moment she heard a familiar voice. She 
turned : her father, with a shocked and sad look 
on his face was gazing at her! 


78 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XIII. 

MR. LAFFAN’S talk. 

Marguerite arose and stepped toward her 
father. She never forgot the look of pain in his 
face. She could not believe that anything she 
might do would make him look so. All at once 
it became known to her how much her father 
loved her. He had seemed so grave, so kind, so 
far above her. She did not attempt to take the 
tennis cap from her head ; the cigarette dropped 
on the ground. 

She met her father’s look frankly and clearly. 
He must know that she could never be so un- 
womanly as she appeared to be. But he did not : 
he judged her by the character she had recently 
made for herself in his eyes. He bowed coldly to 
the group in the arbor. The young people com- 
posing it turned their backs and giggled. 

Your cousin Belinda has arrived,” her father 
said ; ‘‘ and, as I had to pass Colonel Ross’s, I 


MR. LAFFAN’S TALK. 79 

thought that I would tell you. She was enabled 
to come earlier than she expected.** 

Oh, let her come over here, — do ! ** exclaimed 
the elder Miss Ross, who had thrown her cigarette 
away and rid herself of the giggle. ‘‘ We*ll be so 
charmed to have her ! ** 

‘‘ I hardly think she would cOme,** said Mr. 
Laffan, coldly. She is unaccustomed to society. 
You would find her no doubt too dull and — too 
modest.** 

There was an awkward silence. 

I must apologize,** Mr. Laffan went on, “for 
intruding. Colonel Ross led me to this arbor — 
but I see he has gone away. I am sure that if he 
knew of the rowdyism that was going on here, he 
would not have exposed us to this mortifica- 
tion.** 

Marguerite felt as if she could sink through the 
ground. One of the young men jumped up and 
said : 

“ The young ladies are in good company, 
sir.** 

“ Possibly,** returned Mr.^ Laffan. “ But when 
I was young, I should not have considered my- 
self worthy of the name of gentleman if I had 


80 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


connived at such proceedings. Colonel Ross 
would be the last man to approve of this.'' 

It was only a * lark,' " said the young man, 
growing very red. 

‘‘No doubt, — but not the kind of a ‘ lark ' that 
nice people indulge in. I have never had greater 
pain in my life than my daughter has this minute 
given me. Let me tell you, young gentlemen, 
that you are responsible. This rough, uncouth 
fun, however blameless it may seem in your clubs, 
should not be carried into the society of young 
women. Slang and ‘ larks ' like this have no 
place in their presence. You ought to protect 
them against such vulgar intrusions." 

The young men held down their heads, and 
the Misses Ross looked at them reproachfully. 
Marguerite thought that her father had never 
seemed more noble. The young man who had 
first spoken advanced to give his hand to Mr. 
Laffan. 

“ You are right, sir," he said. “ I am sure my 
father, if he were alive, would say the same thing. 
The girls are not to blame, And we didn't think. 
You have given me a lesson, sir, that I shall not 
forget." 


MR. LAFFAN’S TALK. 


81 


Mr. Laffan shook hands with him. He glanced 
about at the group, which looked father crest- 
fallen. Then he smiled. 

My dear young friends/' he said, “ let us talk 
a little." He put his driving whip against the 
wall, and sat down on one of the rustic benches. 
‘‘ I have a theory that if we could really cultivate 
the art of conversation, we shouldn't be so de- 
pendent on billiards and cards and — ‘ larks.' " 

Miss Ross looked up at Mr. Laffan's face. It 
was smiling, but grave. All the defiance in her 
mind melted away. She was interested. 

But we couldn't talk all the time," she re- 
marked, thoughtfully. 

That wouldn't be desirable," replied Mr. 
Laffan; “but we can, when we do talk, try to 
have something to say, — something interesting 
and instructive." 

“ Oh, that sort of talk is a bore ! " said the elder 
Miss Ross. 

“ What kind of talk is not a bore, in your 
opinion?" asked Mr. Laffan. 

“ I like to talk about the fashions and about 
people and about parties, and things like that." 

* “ But don't you get tired of that ? I fancy that 

6 


82 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


your father does not enjoy it. There he is, off 
alone, smoking his pipe among the roses. I am 
sure he would be immensely pleased if one of his 
daughters should go over and talk to him about 
something that interests him, — his roses, for in- 
stance/’ 

But we don’t know anything about roses,” 
said the second Miss Ross. 

** Why shouldn’t you learn, to please him ? It 
would be worth the trouble, wouldn’t it ?” 

Papa doesn’t care,” observed the elder Miss 
Ross. ‘‘ He prefers to be alone.” 

Ah, no! Fathers sometimes seem to like to 
be alone, but they love to have their children with 
them. There is no greater pleasure in life than 
being with one’s children. But, of course, your 
father does not care for the fashions.” 

I should think not ! ” said Miss Ross. “ But 
what does he care to talk about ? When I ask 
him for money he is not always pleased.” 

There was a giggle here. Marguerite sat in a 
corner, neglected. Her father seemed to think 
more of these young people than of her, and they 
were so greatly interested in him they cared for 
nobody else. She admired her father, and yet 


MR. LAFFAN’S TALK. 83 

she was jealous of him, of the others, — utterly 
dissatisfied and ashamed. 

He went on talking and telling stories, and the 
young people said he was more interesting than 
a book. They begged him to stay to dinner. 
But he went away, making Marguerite promise 
to be home the next evening. 

I have given her a lesson,’' he said, as he drove 
home. I hope I have not been too lenient. If 
her mother were only well ! How useless a father 
is, in regard to his daughter, when her mother 
cannot help him ! ” 


84 : 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XIV. 

IN THE ARBOR. 

When Marguerite’s father had gone, the mem- 
bers of the group dispersed to dress for dinner. 
Marguerite was ashamed to own that she had on 
her best frock, and that there was no need for her 
to go upstairs again. She remained in the grape- 
vine arbor until Miss Ross came down, a mass of 
blue streamers. 

‘‘We found your father quite interesting,” said 
Miss Ross ; “ I wish he could have stayed. 
Really, I wish my father would talk on more 
reasonable subjects ! He seems to think girls are 
such fools, and he even says so, I must say that 
when your father talked, I felt much less like a 
fool than usual.” 

Marguerite’s eyes sparkled ; she was glad to 
hear her father praised by the elegant Miss Ross. 
It had never occurred to her that he was specially 
interesting. 

“ Papa will regret his hard-hearted conduct,” 


IN THE ARBOR. 85 

Miss Ross went on ; for I am seriously thinking 
of being engaged.'' 

Marguerite opened her eyes in utter amazement. 

'' Yes, I feel that I am not appreciated here. 
At school — Miss Blank's you know — we were 
allowed to see some young men occasionally. 
And there was one in particular who was especially 
attentive to me. He used to send me baskets of 
oranges, with a note in each orange. I was too 
young then," said Miss Ross, with a sigh, ‘‘to 
engage myself ; so, of course, I forgot all about 
him. Now, which of the young men you met 
here do you like ? " 

“ I didn't notice them much. They seemed a 
little — a little — boisterous." 

“ Oh, that's their way ! They learn that at 
college. I thought I'd ask your opinion. Nearly 
all the girls in our set have been engaged four or 
five times. But I have always been rather back- 
ward, and papa is so queer. So I thought I'd 
make a beginning ; but I don't know which to 
choose." 

Marguerite's good sense, which had only been 
hidden for a while by Mrs. Gillflory's foolishness, 
began to assert itself. 


86 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


I can’t advise you,” she answered, somewhat 
startled. I think you are too young to think 
of such things.” 

“Just like a convent girl!” said Miss Ross. 
“ I might have known you would not sympathize 
with me. “ But,” she added, earnestly, “ keep 
my secret.” 

“What secret?” asked Marguerite. 

“ About my engagement.” 

Marguerite laughed. Somehow or other, the 
gilt was rubbing off the elegant Miss Ross very 
fast. 

“ There cannot be any secret since you have 
not made your choice,” Marguerite said. “ For- 
give me for laughing.” 

“ You had no business to laugh,” replied Miss 
Ross, in an offended tone. “ I don’t see anything 
funny about being engaged. It is a serious 
matter.” 

“ The Sisters always said so,” observed Mar- 
guerite. “ With us, you know, matrimony is a 
Sacrament ; and therefore an engagement is a very 
serious thing.” 

“ I thought convent girls never thought of 
marriage at all, — I thought the Sisters would 


IN THE ARBOR. 


87 


almost kill them if they flirted just a little bit. 
Now, Miss Blank didn’t mind. She always said 
that a box of Huyler’s and a little flirtation every 
week kept girls in a good humor.” 

Marguerite was silent. Suddenly she under- 
stood the depths that separated her from Miss 
Ross. Fashion was very well on the surface, but 
better plain Belinda and the old carpets at home 
than this sort of thing. 

“ I don’t understand how you can talk so,” she 
went on, after a pause. ‘‘ Sister Clement talked 
a great deal about marriage as a vocation and a 
Sacrament ” 

‘‘ Oh, you’d take all the fun out of life ! I 
think it is the jolliest thing to be engaged — with- 
out papa knowing anything about it. I like 
some things in the Catholic Church — Miss Blank 
used to take us to the cathedral sometimes, — but 
I wouldn’t be a Catholic ; for, with your ideas of 
marriage, there couldn’t be any divorce.” 

Marguerite looked shocked. She wished she 
were at home ; she felt as if the air were bad 
here. 

‘‘ Oh, here comes Casper ! ” said Miss Ross ; 
don’t tell him. He’s my brother. You haven’t 


88 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


met him yet. He sleeps nearly all day, and is 
up all night.” 

A thin, tall boy of about fifteen years of age 
came from the house. He wore no hat ; he had 
on a black jacket, a low-cut waistcoat, wide black 
trousers with a very plain crease down the front, 
a white necktie, a large rose in his buttonhole and 
a cigarette between his lips. 

‘‘ Miss Laffan, my brother Casper.” 

Glad to see you. Miss Laffan. Are you one 
of Miss Blank's girls? House is full of them.” 

‘‘No: I’m one of Sister Clement’s girls.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Casper, lounging into a chair and 
preparing to patronize Marguerite. “Yes, I re- 
member. You’re the girl with the Irish-French 
name, aren’t you? Queer!” 

“ And you’re the boy with the German-English 
name,” said Marguerite. “ Oh, yes ! I remember. 
Dear me! You are taller than I supposed. But 
young boys shouldn’t stay up so late. Your 
sister says that they put you to bed very late.” 

Miss Ross giggled. Casper looked angrily at 
Marguerite, and puffed at his cigarette. 

“ I suppose the girls are trying to get you into 
society,” he said. “ The Rosses are Scotch, not 


IN THE ARBOR. 89 

English. And if I have a German name, what's 
that to you } " 

“ Don't make remarks on other people's names," 
said Marguerite, her eyes sparkling. ‘‘ You ought 
not to smoke, child: cigarettes will make you all 
yellow. Miss Ross, may I give your brother 
some gumdrops? I have a few in my pocket, — 
but do you let him eat them before meals ? " 

Casper jumped from his chair in a rage. 

A tall form darkened the grapevine arbor. It 
was Colonel Ross. 

Permit me, Marguerite," he said, to take 
you to dinner. I have accidentally overheard the 
lessons you have given to both my children. 
Casper, you are a conceited young ape, trying to 
be a full-grown monkey ! " 


90 


BELINDA’S COUSINa 


^ XV. 

BELINDA. 

Belinda felt very lonely as she stepped out of 
the car at the station. She was an orphan, and 
she had been visiting some distant cousins. It 
was not easy to get music pupils in the summer, 
and her relatives had been rather cool to her, — 
partly because they were entirely interested in 
their own affairs, and partly because they did 
not want to encourage her to believe that she 
could live with them. They were rich enough, but 
riches do not always make people soft-hearted. 

The Sisters did not forget Belinda : somehow, 
with all their duties, they found time to write to 
her. Without those letters she would have felt 
as if she were almost deserted in a great world. 
She liked Marguerite very much ; and she im- 
agined, as she went along, how happy Marguerite 
would be to see her. She was not aware that she 


BELINDA. 


91 


had come a day too soon, or that Marguerite pre- 
ferred new friends to an old one ; nor was she 
aware that “ the rulers of the house had deter- 
mined that all girls should be persecuted to the 
bitter end. If she had known these things, poor 
Belinda would probably have gone back and' 
waited patiently at her cousins' until she had 
found something to do. She had tried to read a 
little French book, Les Roses de Noel," on her 
way ; but her attention had wandered to other 
things, and she had betaken herself to her rosary, 
and then to her hopes and fears. 

Once at the station, she looked around for 
Marguerite, but in vain. She saw a colored man 
with a wheelbarrow, a boy with newspapers, a 
dilapidated carriage, whose driver called out : 

Turnbull Hotel ! Turnbull Hotel ! " 

Two boys passed her, followed by two dogs. 
One boy was bigger than the other. The first 
dog had one eye, a stumpy tail, and curly brown 
hair ; the second looked like a sausage on four 
sticks. The boys were Aloysius and Fred ; the 
dogs, of course. Prince and Morfido. 

Belinda spoke to the smaller boy. 

Where does Mr. Laffan live, please? " 


92 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Fred looked up at her, and Morfido snapped at 
her dress. Aloysius nudged him. 

‘‘ That’s her ! ” he said. 

“ Mr. Laffan?” asked the smaller boy, with an 
air of stupidity. Did you mean Mr. R. J. 
Laffan ? ” 

“Yes,” said Belinda. 

“ We don’t know him. Maybe you mean Mr. 
George Washington Laffan,” interposed Aloysius. 

“ Perhaps so — I am not quite sure,” replied 
Belinda. 

“ There isn’t any such person,” said Aloysius. 
“ I guess you’d better go home again.” 

Poor Belinda’s heart sank. Could she have 
mistaken the place? 

The driver of the carriage — he had no pas- 
sengers — came up at this moment. 

“ Where do you want to go, Miss? ” he asked, 
in his kindest tones. 

“ To Mr. Laffan’s.” 

“All right,” said the man. “I’ll run over to 
the store for some squashes — you just hold the 
reins for a moment, — and I’ll drive you to his 
door for fifteen cents. I’ll not be gone long.” 

Belinda stepped into the carriage, greatly 


BELINDA. 


93 


relieved. The horses stood still very willingly. 
They were starved, sandy-colored animals, un- 
groomed and mud-spotted. 

“ Don’t you go with him,” said Aloysius, go- 
ing close to Belinda. “ Those horses were bought 
from a circus. They will dash you against the 
foaming rocks and the dismantled gorges ere you 
have wended a mile,” he added, in a hoarse 
voice. 

Belinda looked at the boy in amazement, but 
said nothing. 

You may meet wolves or bears,” added Fred ; 

or robbers. This used to be a wild country. 
You’d better go home. And Mr. Laffan has two 
boys. They’re awful ! ” 

Hush up ! ” said Aloysius, rudely. The boys 
are all right ; but they have the most fe-r^-ci-ous 
dogs — and a sister ! Perhaps you’ve come to visit 
the sister. Well, she isn’t at home. Perhaps 
you’d better take the next train back. The station 
is very comfortable to wait in.” 

Belinda looked at the upturned faces of the boys 
and at the dogs, and laughed. 

I like boys and dogs and even wolves — when 
they’re nice,” she said. 


94 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


You’d better not go. Pete Raikes’ horses — 
these are Pete Raikes’ horses — often run away.” 

“ I don’t mind,” said Belinda, taking the reins. 
She looked at the boys again. They had a resem- 
blance to Marguerite. These must be her brothers 
and the dogs. I am not afraid of wolves,” she 
continued, mischievously ; but I dislike bad boys, 
and I have heard that Marguerite Laffan’s brothers 
are the worst boys in the neighborhood. People 
say so.” 

“ Who says so ? ” demanded Aloysius. Who 
says so — I’d like to know ? ” 

Do you know them ? If I thought you knew 
them, I should be afraid to speak to you. I do 
hope they are not so wicked as they are painted, 
— I do hope so, for poor Marguerite’s sake.” 

Aloysius and Fred looked at each other. 

And their dogs ! ” Belinda went on. ‘‘ The 
people say the dogs are horrible beasts.” 

It’s not true,” answered Fred. “ You can ask 
Hannah.” 

The Laffan boys are as good as anybody about 
here,” said Aloysius. “ Nobody can say a word 
against them. They’re awfully nice. You just 
see them once, and you’ll find out.” 


BELINDA. 


95 


‘‘ I should be afraid,*' said Belinda. 

Pete Raikes came up with his squashes, took the 
reins, and the carriage drove off. Belinda laughed, 
and it did her good. 

Those are the Laffan boys," said Pete. 

I know it," replied Belinda, still laughing. 

We'll fix her ! " said Aloysius. 

‘‘We'll fix her ! " repeated Fred. “ Just let her 
wait. She’ll not stay long, and spoil all our fun." 

They stood for some time, watching the road, 
and making a plan. 


96 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 




XVL 

THE GHOST. 

Belinda's meeting with the boys put her in 
good humor. And when she, her bag and trunk, 
came near Mr. Laffan's house, she was ready to 
be pleased with anything. 

“ How pretty ! " she said, as the carriage stopped 
in front of the gate. “ Why, the house is almost 
buried in green ! " 

‘‘ I can't call it pretty exactly," replied Pete. 
‘‘ I like more paint, and less weeds and truck, — 
but I suppose some people like snaky vines and 
such like." 

Belinda was surprised not to find Marguerite 
at the gate. She descended, paid Pete, who de- 
manded ten cents extra for carrying in her trunk, 
and raised the brass knocker timidly. Hannah 
came to the door. Belinda began to feel depressed 
again. Perhaps she was not welcome ; perhaps 
the family had moved ; perhaps Marguerite was ill. 


THE GHOST. 97 

Hannah, a picture of primness in her pretty 
white cap and apron, held the door half open. 

Weel, lassie,'’ she said, ‘‘ what do you want ? 
Margie's na at home." 

And then, looking at Belinda's appealing eyes 
and simple dress, and catching sight of the trunk, 
her Scotch sense of hospitality came to the rescue. 

Come in," she said ; come in. I was na 
aware that you were the lassie we are expecting. 

I 

I supposed you were mair set up like with your- 
self. You're just as plain as anybody else. Are 
you the graduate?" 

Yes — from the convent," Belinda said, encour- 
aged by the softening of the lines in Hannah's 
face. 

Weel, weel ! I am surprised. I thought you'd 
be mair like the stuck-up Miss Rosses. And 
you're not that way at all!" And Hannah felt 
the texture of Belinda's simple gown, as she re- 
moved her hat. ‘‘ It could na have cost more than 
a levy a yard," she murmured with satisfaction. 
‘‘ She's a wee, canny body, — and poor, no doubt. 
I've no use for the rich ; for we've always been 
poor ourselves." 

She observed that Belinda's gloves fitted her 

7 


98 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


nicely, and from that concluded that she was 
“ quite a leddy.** 

Margie's away. And we're not wearying after 
her," said Hannah, decidedly. You can run right 
up to Mrs. Laffan's room and tidy up ; she'll be 
glad to see you. And I'll send up a cup of tea in 
a minute or two. You’ve nice, red cheeks, dear, 
and a quiet way I like. You must have Scotch 
bluid in you." 

Belinda smiled. “ No : I am sure not." 

“ What a pity ! what a pity ! " answered Han- 
nah. “ Not but what there is decent folk amongst 
other people." 

I don't know," said Belinda ; ‘‘ and I am afraid 
I don't care much. We must be friends at any 
rate." 

“ Oh, sure ! " said Hannah. ‘‘ But I have so 
much to do in this house, where the mother's an 
invalid, that it's little time I have for friendli- 
ness." 

‘‘ But I can help you," said Belinda, with a 
pleasant look. 

‘‘ Ah ! " answered Hannah, ‘‘ in my experience, 
girls pottering about a kitchen are worse than 
boys." 


THE GHOST. 


99 


Belinda's countenance fell. ‘‘ I fancy you think 
I am useless because I have come out of a school, 
—because I am a graduate, don't you ? Why, the 
Sisters made us learn to cook and to do all manner 
of useful things." 

Hannah sniffed. ‘‘ Margie don't show much of 
that training." 

“ That is not the Sisters' fault. A girl comes 
out of school, and if she wants to be lazy and her 
people spoil her, all the blame is laid on the Sisters 
— I don't mean to blame Marguerite at all," ob- 
served Belinda, remembering what she was saying. 
‘‘ Marguerite can do many useful things, if she 
tries." 

‘‘ I hope so," said Hannah ; but she seems to 
me very like a fule." 

Belinda followed Hannah upstairs. Mrs. Laffan 
lay, white and tired-looking, with her face to the 
wall, and her thin hands holding a rosary on the 
quilt. 

‘‘She's wearying for Margie," whispered Han- 
nah. 

Belinda approached the bed. Mrs. Laffan 
opened her eyes; and, after one look at her sweet, 
patient face, Belinda knelt beside her and kissed 

L.ofC. 


100 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

one of the thin hands. Mrs. Laffan smiled and 
smoothed her soft brown hair. 

So this is Belinda ? '' she said ; and they be- 
came friends at once. 

Belinda spent a happy day. There was so much 
to be done, so many little touches that might 
make Mrs. Laffan happier — flowers to be arranged, 
and the room to be made so much more comfort- 
able. When Mr. Laffan came home, he was sur- 
prised to see his wife looking better than usual. 
And then he went over to tell Marguerite that 
Belinda had arrived. 

When it became dark, Belinda went into the 
heliotrope-scented garden for a walk. She 
hummed to herself, because she felt happy. But 
suddenly her heart stood still, and she could 
scarcely suppress a scream. Before her, arising 
out of a clump of low cedar bushes, was a horrible 
figure. It was clothed in white, with fiery eyes, 
and a head that waved to and fro with a horrible 
grin. It waved its arms toward her, shrieking 
wildly. 


MORFIDO’S ACCIDENT. 


101 


XVII. 

MORFIDO’S ACCIDENT. 

Belinda was frightened. She had never seen 
anything so terrible as this appearance. It 
seemed ten or twelve feet high. Its eyes glowed 
with fire. Its head trembled and shook and 
threatened her. Its white garment reflected the 
fire that shone from its horrible mouth. 

Belinda had strong nerves. She had not 
spoiled them by late hours, overeating of candy, 
or sensational novels which fill the mind with 
strange terrors. After the first shock, she stood 
her ground. It occurred to her that it would be 
quite as unsafe to run away from this creature as 
to face it. 

Has she swooned ? '' whispered somebody. 

I can't see, — shall I run ? " 

Keep quiet," growled another voice; ^^she is 
not moving at all. Groan, groan ! " 

A noise, which would have sounded fearful to 


102 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Belinda if she had not listened to the dialogue, 
was now heard. She looked at the swaying head 
of the figure again, and she laughed. She had 
seen something like it before. She determined to 
carry the war into the enemy’s country. She 
rushed at it, shrieking in the most unladylike but 
effective manner. The figure wavered, tottered, 
fell ; and Belinda saw the hollow rind of a large 
mock-orange, a sheet, a clothes prop, and a sput- 
tering candle on the ground before her. The boy 
that had held the prop was Fred. He had 
crawled into the shrubbery. Howls came from 
Morfido, on whom the prop had fallen, and who 
had become entangled in the sheet which had 
been the white garment of the apparition. Belinda 
saw Aloysius hiding behind the big elm ; but she 
took no notice of him. She picked up the candle. 
Morfido, caught in the sheet, yelped and wrig- 
gled. 

‘‘ Dear me ! ” Belinda said aloud, laughing a 
little to herself. How I pity poor Marguerite ! 
How she must have suffered living in the same 
house with those two awful boys ! ” 

Aloysius shook his fist at her in the safe dark- 
ness. She stuck the candle into one of the eyes 


MORFIDO’S ACCIDENT. 


103 


of the mock-orange gourd, and picked up Morfido. 
Morfido looked up at her with his bead-like, Jap- 
anese eyes, and tried to wriggle out of her hands. 
But she held him tight. One of his paws had 
been hit by the sharp edge of the pole. It was 
cut and bleeding. 

Let that dog alone,'’ called out a voice behind 
her. It was Fred's. Let it go, — it's my dog." 

Belinda coolly examined Morfido's paw. 

‘‘ Even if you said ‘ please,' like a gentleman, I 
should not let this dog go," she said. ‘‘ Don't 
you see he is hurt? But, of course, a boy who 
frightens his sister's friends when they come to 
visit his father's house does not care whether a 
poor dog has been hurt or not." 

Morfido, who saw, out of his keen eyes, that he 
was the subject of conversation, gave a sad yelp. 

‘‘ I do care," said Fred. 

‘‘ Then please go and get some water." 

Fred ran off, returning almost at once with a 
battered tin cup full of clear water. Belinda 
thanked him, and, bending her head close to the 
light, carefully wiped with her handkerchief the 
grains of gravel from the little dog's wound. 
Then she drew from her purse, while Fred held 


104 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Morfido, a piece of sticking-plaster, and covered 
the cut with it. 

There, he’ll do. now ! ” said Belinda, rising. 
“You may take your candle.” 

Morfido, restored to liberty, jumped up and 
down joyfully, and tried to lick Belinda’s hand. 
And as she moved away, he followed her. Fred 
called to him. He slowly turned and went to 
his master. 

Aloysius now came from behind the elm. 

“ Oh, she’ll tell papa ! ” he said. “ Girls always 
tell.” 

“ I’ll run and ask her not to,” said Fred. 

“ No, don’t ; because then she’ll tell Marg, and 
Marg will tell papa all the same. I felt a little 
mean when she wouldn’t run. I don’t like that 
girl. She’s come to stay,” he added, with a sigh. 

“ She’s better than Marg. She seemed sorry 
for Morfido.” 

Aloysius shook his head. “ She’s sly, — some 
girls are slyer than others, and she is one of the 
slyer ones. Most girls would have swounded or 
gone into fits. She’s too sly for that. She s been 
frightening other people with mock-oranges, or 
else she would have screeched and gone on awful. 


MORFIDO’S ACCIDENT. iQS 

But they always tell. Papa will make it hot for 
us.’’ 

Fred looked at Morfido, and took courage. I 
rather like her,” he answered, and so does 
Morfido.” 

'‘You’ll find out,” said Aloysius. “You and 
Morfido are younger than Prince and L* She’s 
sly ; she’ll be nice to us and the dogs, and make 
faces at us and say things when we are not look- 
ing. I’ve seen Marg smooth Prince, and then, 
after I’d gone down for the letters for her, just 
give him a kick and call him a nasty beast.” 

Fred was silent. “I wonder if she can tell 
stories,” he said. 

“ Oh, yes ! ” answered Aloysius. “ When she 
wants you to run errands, she’ll promise to tell 
you Cinderella and such stuff, and about bad little 
boys, — that is, if she has time; but she’ll never 
have time. We must make her go back where 
she came from. Think, Fred, of two girls in the 
house ! ” 

“ It would spoil our fun,” said Fred. 

“ It would be always talk like this : ' Look at 

* Aloysius — one must be truthful — really said “ me and 
Prince.” 


106 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


the spots on that boy's jacket, — idiot ! * * Do 

keep your shoes clean, stupid ! ' ‘Sit up straight ! ' 
‘ Papa, Al's put his spoon half-way down his 
throat ! * ‘ Do keep those filthy dogs out of the 
house!’ I’m sick of that. If the girls stay, I’ll 
run away to be a pirate, — I will I ” 


■;C 


UNDER THE LAMP. 


107 


XVIII. 

UNDER THE LAMP.* 

The sitting-room at Mr. Laffan’s house had been 
generally dark in the evening. Marguerite prefer- 
red the parlor — or drawing-room, as she liked 
to call it. Hannah sat in the kitchen; the boys 
and the dogs stayed with her, and Mr. Laffan 

went up to his study. Belinda had been taught 

•• 

to do the duty which lay nearest to her ; and she 
saw, after she had a short talk with Mr. Laffan, 
that he wanted her to help the boys in every 
possible way, besides inducing them to learn 
something about music. 

Mr. Laffan was pleased with Belinda, and his 
wife's praises of her helped to increase this 
pleasure. She seemed so honest, so straight- 
forward and unpretentious, that it was like breath- 
ing pure country air after imprisonment in an 
atmosphere tainted with musk to be near her. . 

Belinda looked into the parlor, which Mar- 
guerite had fixed up " with tidies and fancy 


108 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

work ** of all sorts. It did not look comfortable. 
She asked Hannah if she might light the big 
lamp on the sitting-room table ; and Hannah, of 
course, assented, wishing that the boys and dogs 
would go there for a while, and stay out of her 
kitchen. 

The sitting-room was home-like. Belinda was 
pleased with the big lamp and the great table, 
with the clump of geraniums in the bay window, 
and even with the faded carpet ; for Belinda had 
no love for new things. Over the square piano, 
which was not new, hung a violin and a shelf full 
of books. There could be no lack of occupation, 
she thought, even if it should rain for a week. 

The boys were surprised to see a light in the 
sitting-room. They stood outside on the veranda 
and watched her. Belinda very soon became 
aware of this. She took a sheet of drawing-paper 
from her portfolio, and began to sketch. 

‘‘ What is she making?'' whispered Fred. 

I don't care! " answered Aloysius. 

Belinda held the paper up behind the light. 

‘‘ It looks like a dog." 

‘‘Girls don't draw dogs," said Aloysius; “ they 
draw only flowers and things." 


UNDER THE LAMP. 


109 


‘‘ ril go and see/' said Fred. 

Aloysius was silent. He was as curious as 
Fred, but he did not care to admit it. Fred 
pushed open the screen of wire netting that swung 
before the window, and entered the room, followed 
by Morfido. 

Belinda took no notice of them until Fred had 
reached her elbow. 

Come in ! come in!" cried Fred, excitedly. 

See — she has drawn Morfido’s head 1 Oh, come 
in, A1 ! " 

Aloysius pretended not to hear ; but he watched 
eagerly through the screen, while Belinda went 
on with her work. 

Oh, me ! oh, my ! " Fred said. ‘‘ Do come in ! 
It's just like Morfido, — just like him ! She might 
do Prince, too. Come in, A1 ! " 

Aloysius walked slowly iiito the room. Be- 
linda held up the sketch of Morfido's head. It 
was not very cleverly done, but it was like Morfido. 

It's well enough," said Aloysius, wishing that 
she would draw Prince's head. 

Will you give me that picture when it's done? " 
asked Fred, eagerly. ‘‘ I want to show it to Han- 
nah and all the boys in the town. It's fine ! " 


110 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Morfido jumped into Belinda’s lap ; she laughed, 
and showed him his picture. Morfido growled and 
wagged his tail. 

“He thinks it’s another dog!” cried Fred. 
“ Oh, my ! oh, me ! he’s going to fight it ! ” 

Belinda withdrew the picture, and Morfido 
ceased to be angry. 

“ Make me a horse,” said Fred, edging up to 
the table. “ I can draw houses, but not horses; 
but A1 can make funny pigs, only their hind legs 
are always wrong.” 

“ Do you like to draw? ” asked Belinda. 

“ I don’t know how,” answered Aloysius, frown- 
ing ; “and I shouldn’t want to learn, if I couldn’t 
do better than that.” 

He did not mean this at all, but he thought it 
was a manly thing to say. 

“You can’t do better than that,” said Fred, 
while Belinda cheeks colored a little ; for rude- 
ness always hurts. “You know you can’t.. Just 
you try to draw Prince’s head yourself.” 

Aloysius said nothing; Belinda drew a piece 
of foolscap paper from her portfolio, and gave 
Aloysius a pencil. 

“ Try,” she said. 


UNDER THE LAMP. m 

I can’t draw well at night, you know,” he 
answered, sulkily, 

Fred laughed. Aloysius kicked him under the 
table. He and Morfido howled in concert, and 
Belinda took the small boy in her arms and said : 

Never mind ! Perhaps you’d like to hear a 
story ? ” 

About races — horse-races ? ” asked Fred, ceas- 
ing to howl. 

‘‘Yes, yes,” said Belinda, and Fred fixed his 
eyes on her, waiting for her to begin. Aloysius 
went into a dark corner with Prince, and pretended 
not to listen. 


112 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XIX. 

THE EVENING. 

Belinda had her hands full. Fred demanded 
story after .story, but the stories must be about 
races. 

‘‘When I get big,'' said Fred, running up and 
down the room, “ I am going to be a jockey. 
Tell me another story. Marg used to promise, 
but it was always Cinderella or about the bad 
little boy that disobeyed his sister. The Com- 
mandments don't say anything about obeying 
sisters, do they ? " 

“ I think not, — I am sure not," said Belinda. 
“ But boys ought to be nice to their sisters, any- 
way." 

Fred looked doubtful. 

“ You don't know Marg," he said, after a mo- 
ment. “ If God had intended to put something 
about obeying sisters in the Commandments, I'm 
sure He wouldn't have meant sisters like Marg. 


THE EVENING. 


113 


If she told jy^u to run down to the post-office 
seven times a day in the hot sun, I guess you 
wouldn't like it. And then scold, scold, — all the 
time scold ! " 

'' Girls think boys have no rights," growled 
Aloysius from the corner. 

Belinda did not answer at once. Aloysius 
watched her, his lips unclosed, ready for a verbal 
fight. 

“I don’t ” 

“You’re another!” cried Aloysius rapidly, 
anxious to get in the first blow. This was his 
method of battle with Marguerite. 

She didn't say anything," said Fred. You 
began first ! " 

That's right — take her part ! " replied Aloy- 
sius. ‘‘And when you want shoemaker's wax 
again, just go to her for it. doesn't keep 

shoemaker's wax in her pocket, I'll warrant that ! " 
he added, with a whistle of derision. 

“ I was going to say," Belinda continued, re- 
covering from her astonishment, “ that I think 
boys rights." 

“ Oh, yes, — you do ! " said Aloysius, contempt- 
uously. “ I've heard that said before : when a 
8 


114 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


girl wants a boy to go errands for her ! Oh, yes ! 

Belinda made no reply to this; she went on 
with her story : 

‘‘Jasper was an orphan and poor '' 

“ Where did he live, — where did he live ? de- 
manded Fred. “ Had he a house ? 

“ He lived in Cleveland. He 

“ Where is Cleveland ?*' asked Fred. “ Is it a 
nice place ? Do they have 'lectric lights there ? ” 

“Cleveland's in Ohio, don't you know? 
Stupid ! " said Aloysius. 

“Jasper," Belinda went on, “had nothing to 
eat." 

“Nothing?" said Fred. “Not even oatmeal 
nor potatoes ? " 

“Nothing," said Belinda, solemnly. 

Fred was interested. 

“ I should think he could have gone in and taken 
some watermelons out of somebody's patch. It 
wouldn't be any harm, if you were starving," said 
Fred. “When I looked at old Curdgeon's green 
and black beauties last year, I often wished I 
could take half a dozen without committing a 
sin, — and I'd like to be starving just for an hour 
or so, Curdgeon’s so mean ! " 


THE EVENING. 


115 


So's Joe Curdgeon ! '' put in Aloysius. “ He 
wouldn’t lend me his accordion, though I gave 
him a baseball bat when he was to play the Cro- 
certown nine. The Curdgeons are all mean. 
Why, Joe will eat a whole pie out at his kitchen 
door sometimes without asking you to have even 
a bite. He’s always taking ‘ loners,’ — I. hate 
boys that take ‘ loners.’ People ought to share. 
Marg used to eat all the chocolates out of the 
box of candy, and leave the hard gumdrops for 
us. Of course I don’t care for candy, but Fred 
does.” 

Jasper’s uncle had a horse, — an old horse, that 
was badly fed,” said Belinda, resuming the story. 
And ” 

“ Did he win the race? — that’s what I want to 
know,” said Fred. ^‘And, if his jockey’s colors 
were not green, you needn’t go on with the 
story.” 

Aloysius laughed. 

‘‘Yes, he won the race,” said Belinda. 

“Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Aloysius. “That’s 
just like a girl ! -An old horse win a race ! Oh, 
dear! I suppose it was Nellie Bly, — you’ll say 
that next.” 


116 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Who is Nellie Bly ? I don’t know her,” said 
Belinda, bewildered. 

Fred and Morfido rolled on the floor, and 
Aloysius bent himself double. 

‘'Oh my, oh me ! ” cried Fred. “ She thinks 
Nellie Bly is a girl ! ” 

Belinda’s bewilderment only made the boys 
laugh more. But instead of getting angry, as 
the boys expected her to do, she laughed herself. 
Indeed the spectacle of Prince’s eyes, seeming to 
twinkle with mirth too, and of Morfido’s bounds, 
were too much for her. 

“ Nellie Bly is the greatest racer in America,” 
said Aloysius. “ She broke the record.” * 

" Oh ! ” said Belinda, still bewildered. 

Aloysius came out of his corner to explain all 
about Nellie Bly’s famous run. Belinda listened 
meekly to a lengthy discourse which seemed to 
consist chiefly in “ Sally G., don’t you see ? 
“An’ Nellie Bly, don’t you know?” 

Belinda felt it her duty to show interest. 

“ What a queer name ! ” she remarked. “ Why 
doesn’t the young lady, Sally G:, write her name 
out in full ? ” 

At first the boys received this astounding 


THE EVENING. 


117 


speech in silence ; then they rolled over and over 
each other and the dogs, roaring with laughter. 
How could such ignorance exist? Not to know 
the names of the greatest horses in the world ! 
Belinda's deplorable lack of knowledge touched 
them. They were only little men, after all ; and 
Belinda had gained their regard by showing that 
she knew less than they did. Marguerite's affec- 
tation of superior knowledge had been against her ; 
the boys could have stood an occasional cuff or 
slap, but they could not endure her superior 
knowledge of all subjects. And, then, Belinda 
was so good-natured about it. Instead of scold- 
ing, she laughed with them. To make a diver- 
sion, she went to the piano and began to play 
‘‘ Hiawatha March." 

‘‘ Oh, that's jolly ! " said Aloysius. Do you 
know ‘ Sweet Rosy O'Grady ? ' " 

Belinda began to play that delightful air. 

‘‘ Marg would never play that," said Fred. 
‘‘ It was always choppin' and choppin' — whatever 
Hiat is, — whole books full that never stop." 

Belinda wheeled around on the stool, cutting 

short the boys' She’s my jo " and leaving 

them with mouths open. 


118 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


** If you say another word against Marguerite, 
I won’t play ! ” 

Go on,” said Aloysius ; ‘‘ we won’t. That’s 
right — stick up for your friend. Now, Marg — 
but go on. ^ Sweet Rosy O’Grady ! ’” he bawled, 
and Fred and Prince and Morfido joined in. 

At this moment Mr. Laffan looked in at the 
group about the piano. Mrs. Laffan had just 
sent Hannah to him to say that she liked to hear 
the noise, — it was a sign the boys were enjoying 
themselves. 

He smiled and passed on. 

Belinda has patience and sympathy. It will 
come right, after all,” he said, as he went back 
to his study. 


THE GRAVE, 


119 


XX. 

THE GRAVE. 

Marguerite drove home from the Rosses" 
house in a discontented state of mind. She felt 
that she had seen fashion in all its glory. The 
Ross idea of style entirely surpassed Mrs. Gill- 
flory’s ideas. There had been tea at five o"clock, 
and a late dinner with flowers and a butler, and 
tennis, and a great deal of talk about society. It 
had all made Marguerite feel very small. She 
was not sure whether a woman should sit immed- 
iately behind the coachman when she went out in 
her victoria or on the left side. She did not even 
know that a victoria was a carriage called after 
the Queen of England, and yet this had occupied 
much of the conversation. She had lived among 
people who, according to Mrs. Gillflory, her aunt, 
ought to be her models. She had found them 
different from what she expected. As the horse 


120 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


jogged along, she did not notice the greens of the 
trees that arose in clumps on either side of her, — 
those greens which we call green, because we do 
not take the trouble to find out how many tints 
go to make the whole color. 

Marguerite was buried in her thoughts. She 
had forgotten her prayers for two mornings, so 
anxious had she been to get downstairs ; she had 
omitted reading in her little book of meditations 
— a gift from Sister Clement, — and she felt as if 
she had been living in a foreign world. She was 
tired, from the effort of trying to keep up with 
the talk of the young people about her. She was 
pleased with one thing : all the Rosses had begged 
her to make” her father visit the Colonel often. 
After all, even among fashionable people some- 
thing counted besides mere fashion. Colonel Ross 
had been very kind ; he would not let her go until 
after luncheon, and he had said to her: Come 
again, my dear. I think my daughters could 
profit by your example.” 

Marguerite had blushed at those words. How 
little she deserved them ! To think that his 
daughters were to have been her models ! After 
all, she thought, the Sisters might be right : there 


THE GRAVE. 121 

was another side of the fashionable world. But, 
then, of course, the Sisters did not know so much 
about that world as Mrs. Gillflory. Marguerite 
compared Sister Clement and her aunt. There 
was no doubt that Sister Clement was the nicer, 
the more clever, the more interesting. She could 
imagine the Rosses and their guests laughing at 
Mrs. Gillflory's talk about rich dresses and fine 
furniture ; and she suppressed a giggle herself as 
she thought how many times she had heard her 
aunt say to strangers : My bath-room cost a 
thousand dollars ; it is floored with the most ex- 
pensive acoustic tiles ! ” But these Rosses would 
not dare to laugh at Sister Clement. Then she 
grew a little angry, and asked herself why she 
should care for the opinion of the Rosses. 

The fresh breeze blew in her face, and brought 
the scent of roses to her. They were turning the 
hedges to a soft pink with their timid beauty. 
She knew she was nearing home by that scent ; 
for the wildrose hedge began near home. She 
saw the walls of her father's house among the 
trees. She felt that she was actually glad to get 
home. In fact, the thought of those horrid 
boys " did not entirely spoil her pleasure. After 


122 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


all, Fred was a dear little fellow at times. And 
she would not wish Aloysius to be like those 
young men at the Rosses for anything. She 
shuddered at the thought. Yes, Mrs. Gillflory 
must be wrong, — society had its shadows. Aloy- 
sius was rough and impudent, but he was not af- 
fected and spoiled beyond redemption. She be- 
gan to pity herself. If they would only love her 
at home ! If the boys would only learn her true 
value ! The tears almost came to her eyes as she 
thought of how good she was and how little the 
people at home appreciated her. She wished that 
her father could have heard Colonel Ross’ last 
words. 

The carriage stopped in front of the gate. She 
descended, with the sigh of a martyr. As she 
opened the gate, her feelings suddenly changed 
at sight of a group on the lawn. Her mother sat 
in the wheelchair, while Belinda held her hand ; 
and the boys, singing aloud their favorite song, 
pushed the chair as gently as they could. Mrs. 
Laffan was looking up at Belinda, and thanking 
her for the bunch of wild roses she held. 

Marguerite frowned slightly. Jealousy filled 
her heart. 


THE GRAVE. 


123 


** I am forgotten/’ she thought ; Belinda has 
taken my place. Very well,” she murmured, — 
** very well. There is nothing left for me now but 
the grave. They’ll all be sorry then ! ” 


124 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XXI. 

marguerite’s return. 

Fred saw Marguerite coming toward the 
group. 

‘‘Now she’ll spoil all our fun!” he said. 
“ Why didn’t she stay with the Rosses ? ” 

Marguerite heard this, and she cast a look of 
anger at Fred. She shook hands with Belinda, 
but she did not kiss her. The boys noticed the 
coolness of this reception and Belinda’s blush. It 
hurt her to notice that Marguerite did not seem 
glad to see her. Marguerite kissed her mother, 
who looked up brightly. 

“ Isn’t it delightful here in the open air? It is 
a long time since I saw wild roses in the sunlight. 
Belinda and I have come to love each other 
already. She seems even dearer than if she were 
a niece.” 

“Oh, have you?” asked Marguerite, coldly. 
“ Dear me, just look at Aloysius’ jacket ! It is 


MARGUERITE’S RETURN. 


125 


full of dust and burrs. Just run up to the 
house and have Hannah brush it off, — it’s dis- 
graceful ! ” 

“ I won’t ! ” cried Aloysius. 

‘‘You will !” retorted Marguerite. 

You’re not his boss ! ” interposed Fred. “ He’s 
having a good time, and you just come and spoil 
it. He can’t help getting burrs on his jacket 
when he crawls on the ground looking for last 
year’s cones. Belinda is going to show us how 
to make cone baskets, and we’re going to sell them 
to buy Chinese babies.” 

“ Go right up to the house, you im ” 

“ You’re another ! ” called out Aloysius. “ I’ll 
stay just where I am ! ” 

Mrs. Laffan looked up at their faces, helpless 
and agitated. 

“ I suppose I had better go in,” she said. “ I 
really did not notice the burrs on Al’s jacket, — 
I suppose,” she said, with a sigh, “ that I have in- 
terfered with the plans of the household in some 
way.” 

“You’re the boss, mamma,” said Fred ; “ we’ll 
do what you say, but Marg has no business to 
spoil all the fun. Just because we’re all happy. 


126 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


she comes and sees burrs and dust. She’s always 
seeing dust or something, — always ! ” 

Marguerite became more and more angry. She 
wanted to cry, but she felt that would be un- 
dignified. Mrs. Laffan’s nerves were shaken by 
this encounter. The spray of wild roses fell on 
the ground. 

Nobody considers Marguerite said, — 

‘‘nobody! Here I come home absolutely tired 
out, and this is the welcome I receive.” She put 
her handkerchief to her eyes. 

Fred went out of reach, behind his mother’s 
back, and did a wild dance, expressive of an 
Indian tomahawking some one. 

“ Marguerite,” answered Belinda, in a low voice, 
“ It is aunt who needs consideration.” 

“ I don’t want to receive lessons from you in 
my own home 1 ” said Marguerite ; and she 
walked, with her head in the air, toward the 
house. “ Sweet, indeed ! ” 

“ What is the matter ? ” asked the invalid, help- 
lessly. “ I never saw Marguerite behave so 
before.” 

“ She is tired,” Belinda said, “ and not well.” 

“ She’ll go up to her room and read novels and 


MARGUERITE-S RETURN. 


127 


eat carmels/’ said Fred. I have seen that girl 
have a whole box of candy and not give a fellow 
any, except the hard gumdrops, or the kind she 
had bitten to see whether she liked it or not. 
That's the truth! ” 

Fred," whispered Belinda, ^Mon't let your 
mother hear you talk that way; it will worry 
her." 

Fred looked anxiously at his mother. Mrs. 
Laffan's thoughts were still full of her daughter. 

I had better go in," she said. 

That's just it ! " exclaimed Aloysius. Mam- 
ma wants to go in because Marguerite was ugly. 
Oh, dear! I knew she would spoil our fun." 

Mrs. Laffan was taken into the house. And 
(for all of those who had been so happy a few 
moments before) the beauty of the day was 
spoiled by Marguerite’s ill temper. It was as 
if a dark cloud had passed over a sunny wheat 
field, 

Mrs. Laffan went to her room; and Belinda, 
having made her as comfortable asshecould, went 
downstairs, Mr, Laffan had decided that this 
was to be a holiday, so there were no music-lessons. 
She gathered a bunch of mignonette and a blush 


128 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


rose. Surely Marguerite would accept this as a 
peace-offering. As she passed softly over the 
tarn path, she came upon the boys busily eating 
green peas which they plucked from the vines. 
An hour before Belinda had heard Hannah beg- 
ging and imploring them to take some peas into 
the kitchen for dinner. 

‘‘ Oh, we just wanted you,” called out Aloysius, 
his mouth full of peas and young pea pods. 
“ Come to the stream and fish with us, please.” 

“ I can’t,” answered Belinda, — I have to do 
something else.” 

‘‘And this is a holiday, too,” said Fred, in an 
aggrieved tone. “ I must be amused. When I 
was little, the nurse always said I’d get sick if I 
wasn’t amused.” 

A well-aimed pea pod struck Fred in the 
eye. 

“ Stop your baby tricks,” said Aloysius. “ Do 
come with us, Belinda, and help to put bait on 
the hooks, — for, of course, girls can’t fish.” 

Belinda smiled in spite of her trouble. 

“Well, I will,” she replied, “if you will wait. 
And in the meantime you get Hannah all the 
peas she wants for dinner.” 


MARGUERITE’S RETURN. 


129 


Cert ! said Aloysius, 

“ That’s a bargain ! ” added Fred. 

Belinda hastened to Marguerite’s room. She 
knocked again and again. At last the door was 
half opened, and Marguerite appeared. 

Oh, it’s you ! ” she said. I don’t want your 
flowers. — there ! ” And she slammed the door. 
Belinda sat down on the top step and wept. 


130 


BEIJNDA’S COUSINS, 


XXII. 

HANNAH’S TRIAL. 

Marguerite was .unhappy, wretchedly un- 
happy, because she had a well instructed conscience 
and it reproached her. She picked up a novel and 
tried to forget everything in the story. But she 
could not. She looked in the glass, and tried to 
fancy that her face bore traces of her sufferings. 
But no : she seemed unusually healthy. 

She sat by the window. What a lovely day it 
was I She longed to go out, but her injured dig- 
nity required that she should stay in seclusion. 
She heard merry shouts from the narrow stream 
that ran by the back lot, beyond the orchard of 
dwarf fruit-trees. She could see Belinda perched 
on a log holding a fishing rod. She had actually 
caught a perch, — it was too large to be a min- 
now. Fred was taking It from the hook with 
loud shouts. She put her head out of the win- 


HANNAH’S TRIAL. 131 

dow, to discover, if possible, what Belinda had 
caught. 

At that moment Aloysius ran from the kitchen 
door with a new supply of bait. Marguerite had 
forgotten the book in her hand ; it fell, and struck 
her brother on the shoulder. He picked it up 
from the ground. 

“Ah, Miss,'’ he said, “I’ve caught you read- 
ing novels ! I’ll just keep this and show it to 
papa.” 

Marguerite forgot her dignity, and implored 
him to give it back. It belonged to Miss Ross, — 
she must return it. Aloysius was obdurate : he 
pushed the book up under his jacket, at the risk 
of bursting the buttons from it, and ran away 
whistling, with “ Lady Victoria’s Defeat ; or. 
The Prisoner of Lindhurst Manor,” next to his 
heart. 

Marguerite watched him. She must get the 
book back in some way ; she must have it. It 
would not do to have anybody know that she 
read such stuff. And, above all, her father must 
not see it. 

How was it that Belinda had obtained such an 
influence over those boys in a single day ? A 


132 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


few minutes before she had seen them actually 
carrying a big basket of peas into the kitchen, at 
Belinda's request, — a thing which neither threats 
nor commands from herself or Hannah had ever 
induced them to do. And Belinda seemed entirely 
at home ; she and her mother seemed on the best of 
terms, and no doubt her father looked on Belinda 
as a paragon ! Another pang of jealousy shot 
through Marguerite. What made Belinda such a 
favorite? Sister Clement never scolded Belinda ; 
Belinda seldom had penances ; everybody liked 
Belinda at the convent. Why was it ? A sen- 
tence out of ‘‘ Lady Victoria's Defeat " occurred 
to her. “Genius is always misunderstood and 
undervalued by the vulgar." Marguerite asked 
herself whether she might not be misunderstood 
because there was more in her than in other 
people. Perhaps, like Lady Victoria, she was a 
genius ; Mrs. Gillflory had often said as much 
when she had told her how stern Sister Clement 
was. There was one comfort : Belinda had no 
“ style ; " she was the plainest little creature ! 
And, then, she was not at all clever. Everything 
she knew she had acquired by the hardest work. 

These reflections gave Marguerite great com 


HANNAH’S TRIAL. 


133 


solation, but they did not satisfy her. In her 
heart, she knew that she was not in accord with 
the high duties which a thoroughly Christian 
education had imposed on her. She began to 
think of the Rosses. She said to herself that 
none of them was really nice, except the Colonel. 
Casper was simply unendurable, and the Misses 
Ross were not at all nice. She smiled as she 
thought of the discomfiture of the timid Belinda 
in the society of the Rosses. How absurd she 
would seem in such society ! Marguerite forgot 
her troubles in planning an elaborate luncheon 
for the Rosses, for the purpose of showing Belinda 
what her place in the social world really was. 
Belinda was a good girl — she did not deny that, 
— and she liked her at times ; but she needed 
taking down a bit. 

Margy ! Margy!” called Hannah's voice. 
Come down. There be folk coming by the front 
walk ! " 

Marguerite did not answer ; she ran through 
the corridor and looked out the window. The 
sunlight struck the glittering harness of Colonel 
Ross' drag. The Colonel had descended ; coming 
up the path were Miss Ross, Eveline Marr (one 


134 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


of the Rosses’ guests), and Casper. Marguerite 
looked at her watch : it was a little after twelve 
o’clock. 

They’ll stay to luncheon,” she said. Oh, 
dear, what a horrible thing ! And I haven’t time 
to dress, and there’s nothing in the house ! Oh, 
I shall be mortified to death ! ” 

She hastily ran toward her room, to find Hannah 
waiting for her. Sister Clement’s maxim in all 
difficult occasions was, ‘‘Be cheerful ; forget your- 
self ; make the best of things.” Marguerite re- 
membered, but rejected it. 

“You’ll have to come down,” said Hannah. 
“ Your fine friends are here, and your lather will 
never let them leave the house without a bite to 
eat. You’ll have to keep them somewhere, while I 
change the tablecloth and the napkins ; for they’re 
none o’ our best. I’ll get out the one with the 
thistle on ; for I hear the Rosses have Scotch 
blood in them.” 

“ I’ll not come down,” said Marguerite, — “ I’ll 
not ! I can’t be mortified to death by the country 
look of things and the boys’ manners.” 

“ It’s a pity you don’t change the boys’ man- 
ners, then ! ” said Hannah, indignantly. “ And 


HANNAH’S TRIAL. I35 

SO you’ll leave the whole brunt of keeping up 
decency in your ain father’s house to me ! I 
didn’t think you were so selfish, Margy.” 

Marguerite frowned. ‘‘You can just do the 
best you can. Say I’m sick.” She closed the 
door. 

Hannah went down in great distress. 

“ And yon wee bit lassie can’t be of much use,” 
she said, thinking of Belinda. 

As Hannah went down, a horrible thought 
struck Marguerite. Hannah and the boys would 
probably speak of this meal as “ dinner.” What 
would the Rosses, who always had luncheon in 
the middle of the day, think ? She threw herself 
on the lounge in despair. Her announcement of 
sickness prevented her from calling to Hannah to 
avoid the obnoxious word “ dinner.” 

Hannah was relieved to see Mr. Laffan join 
Colonel Ross. She ran hastily down to the 
stream to notify Belinda. Belinda was horrified ; 
the boys ceased their fishing to listen to Hannah’s 
tale of woe. 

“ I haven’t a flower to put on the table, and 
there’s nothing but corned-beef and cabbage — we 
always have it on Saturday, — and gooseberry 


136 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


tarts ; and Til have to change all the linen. We 
have lots of the most beautiful Irish linen, but it 
will take time to get it out. And, then, you know 
what the lads are, — not that they’re worse than 
others.’* 

“ We’ll go and howl and tread on the people’s 
toes,” said Fred ; “and I’ll made Morfido snap at 
them. They’ll spoil all our fun.” 

Belinda thought of Sister Clement’s maxim 
with some fear and trembling — “ Be cheerful ; 
forget yourself ; and make the best of things.” 

“ Don’t worry, Hannah,” she answered. 
“ Where are they ? ” 

“ Mr. Laffan is talking to them.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Belinda, relieved. “ I’ll help you 
make the table as pretty as possible ; and then 
I’ll put on a clean collar, and go in and play 
something, to keep them till you’re ready.” 

Hannah’s face brightened somewhat. “ Will 
you ? ” she said. 

“ Fred,” said Belinda, suddenly assuming an 
air of authority, “ if you don’t do exactly what I 
tell you, I’ll not show you how to make the kind 
of bait the perch like, after dinner.” 

Fred eyed her intently. “ Well, go on,” he said. 


HANNAH’S TRIAL. 


137 


You get all the roses you can, with long stems 
— as long as you can cut them. There, take my 
scissors, — don’t pull the roses off. Bring them in 
through the kitchen ; then run upstairs, put on a 
collar and cuffs, brush your clothes and comb 
your hair.” 

‘‘ Sha’n’t I wash my hands and face ? ” asked 
Fred, still eyeing her obediently. 

‘‘ Of course.” 

And you, Al, — you run to the barn for eggs ; 
will you ? I needn’t tell you to look nice and 
clean. You mother will like it so much.” 

Fred ran off, thinking of the bait ; and Aloysius 
rushed headlong toward the barn. 

“ Heaven bless you ! ” said Hannah. Come ! 
There’s no time to lose.” 

At this moment Colonel Ross was explaining 
to Mr. Laffan that a wheel of his drag had come 
loose ; and that, as it was impossible to get back 
in time for luncheon (he had sent the carriage to 
the shop in the village), he must take the liberty 
of asking for a bit of luncheon and meet that 
charming daughter of his. 

Mr. Laffan was delighted ; he was, above all, 
hospitable. 


138 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


There’s no cake in the house,” said Hannah, 
in a whisper. ‘‘ And it’s my opinion that the 
beef is too salty. Why don’t people eat their 
meals in their own houses ? ” 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. 


139 


XXIIL 

MARGUERITE LISTENS. 

Marguerite, sulking in her room, thought, 
with some satisfaction that things would go badly 
downstairs. It was sad enough to have Colonel 
Ross and Casper and that stuck-up guest and 
Miss Ross see how badly the housekeeping was 
managed. It would be plain, however, that she 
was not responsible for it, as she would not be 
present. She crept to the head of the stairs on 
tiptoe, expecting to hear wails of woe from the 
lower regions. Now Hannah would learn to be 
more amiable to her ; now Belinda would realize 
her own helplessness ; now the boys would be 
brought to a sense of her necessity in the house. 
She expected to hear Hannah’s voice raised and 
the noise of the boys. But there was silence, 
except for the clattering of plates. 


140 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


Belinda had been frightened and perplexed 
when she had been obliged to go to Hannah’s 
assistance. But she became cool after a time. 
She could only do her best, — that was all. 

Having sent Aloysius and Fred away for a 
time, Belinda returned in haste to the kitchen. 
She found Hannah in tears, and greatly dis- 
couraged. 

ril never be able to get the linen out in 
time,” she said. And I have taken everything 
off the table ; and it will take half -an hour to get 
out the best dishes and to dust them. I may 
just as well give up altogether.” 

Belinda looked into the dining-room. The 
table was bare. It was an old-fashioned table of 
real mahogany, with elaborate carvings on each 
corner, which seemed very fine to Belinda. She 
looked at the table-cloth which Hannah had 
taken off, and knew that she could never be in- 
duced to put it on again. Sister Clement had 
taught Belinda that simplicity must always be 
worthy of respect. A person who laughs at what 
is honest and simple must be a creature of a low 
order. She remembered now that Sister Clement 
had often said : Give what you have, and give 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. 


141 


it cordially.'' If the Colonel and the rest of the 
company could be made to see that the luncheon 
was cordially given, perhaps they might overlook 
deficiencies. But here was poor Hannah stand- 
ing by the range with her handkerchief to her 
eyes. 

What a beautiful table, Hannah ! " said Be- 
linda. I never saw anything so bright and 
smooth." 

‘‘ It makes my elbows ache to keep it so," 
grumbled Hannah. It belonged to Mrs. Laf- 
fan's mother, and I've never seen anything like it 
on this side of the water. But the trouble is 
we've nothing decent to put on." 

Why cover it up, then?" asked Belinda. 
“ Here are the roses, — thanks ! thanks ! " she said, 
as she received a great bunch of long-stemmed 
pink roses. We'll put these in a big bowl in 
the centre of the table, with the lace-bordered 
cloth under it, and serve the luncheon on the 
mahogany. Wouldn't that do ? " 

I never saw it done," said Hannah. I am 
afraid it would look as if we wanted to show off 
the table, — not but what it's a beauty." 

So we do," answered Belinda ; ‘‘ let us be 


142 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

frank about it. See, Hannah — here a thistle and 
a rose and a beautiful shamrock carved in the cor- 
ner.’’ 

We’ll try it ; and, now that I remember, Lib- 
bie Johnstone told me that they used always to 
serve the sweets on the mahogany. But the 
luncheon ” 

‘‘ Broil the chops — keep the beef for the boys, 
— and serve them hot with rolls and coffee. You 
have the rolls ready, and I am sure that Colonel 
Ross never tasted such rolls. And you can put 
that big dish of raspberries with cream on the 
table, and help them after they have finished the 
chops.” 

Hannah drew a long breath. She felt some- 
what relieved. 

Ain’t she a crackerjack ? ” asked Aloysius, who 
had been listening. “ And she says we can have 
all the corned-beef and cabbage, too, in the 
kitchen. Aint she a daisy ?” 

Belinda had no time to express her dislike for 
slang. She arranged the glass bowl of flowers on 
the shining mahogany, and laid Hannah’s nap- 
kins about to save the smooth surface from the 
hot dishes. The great bowl of roses looked very 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. I43 

pretty, and scented the room. Hannah smiled 
and said : 

‘‘You can go and keep the folk from coming 
in here till I am ready. It won’t be very long.” 

Belinda rushed upstairs so quickly that Mar- 
guerite, who had been trying to listen, could 
hardly save her dignity by getting into her room 
in time. It did not take Belinda long to add a 
touch or two to her dress. She went down again, 
her first fright coming over her a little. But she 
forgot it when Mr. Laffan introduced her, and 
she saw how pleased he was to see her. He had 
been wondering why his daughter and her friend 
had not appeared. 

Belinda looked like a school-girl beside Miss 
Ross and her friend, whose girdles jingled with 
trinkets of various kinds, including a glass flagon 
and a silver whistle. 

The conversation had become rather slow. 
Colonel Ross would not smoke before luncheon, 
and Casper did not dare to pull out a cigarette 
with Mr. Laffan’s eyes on him. And everybody 
was hungry. The Colonel brightened a little 
when Belinda entered. 

“ I hoped to see your charming, daughter, Mr. 


144 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Laffan/' he said. I see you have other rose- 
buds in your house, though.'' 

I am afraid that my daughter has enjoyed 
your hospitality too much, Colonel ; she is weary, 
no doubt, after her gayety." 

She was very kind to come," said Miss Ross ; 
while Casper yawned, and wondered whether 
there would be anything to drink or not. 

May we have some music ? " Mr. Laffan 
asked of Belinda, and wishing that he were sure 
Hannah was not in a bad humor. 

Oh, do sing ! Some of you young ladies sing, 
I know." 

Belinda went to the piano. Her first im- 
pulse was to ask Miss Ross to play ; but as 
that young woman looked too lazy to take off her 
gloves, she said nothing. She chose The Winter 
Roses." 


“ The sky is like the water, 

Gray as the hue of lead, 

The fisher’s little daughter 

Weareth black upon her head ; 
The boughs that wave above her 
Are gray with winter frost, 

And all the hearts that love her 
The bridge of death have crossed. 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. 


145 


“ I hear no children’s voices, — 

Silent the fisher’s maid, — 

No gladsome soul rejoices 
Where bold boys used to wade 
In summer, in the sunlight, 

When days were sweet with song. 

And the wide beach was smooth and white. 
Not strewn with wrecks along. 

Ah, see the winter roses. 

Hedged round with greenest moss. 

Each curled leaf encloses 
A fragrant balm of loss ; 

And, though there is no breaking 
Of the grayness overhead, 

They teach of an awakening 
Of life that is not dead. 

See how they glow and quiver. 

See how they nod and bend, 

While all the world’s a-shiver. 

They sparks of ruby send ; 

Like firelight in the garden, 

Heart-shaped and red as flame. 

They speak of love’s sweet pardon, 

From out their mossy frame. 

** Ah, gray and winter weather, 

I wish your days were done. 

My heart and hopes together 
Could open to the sun ; 

O roses, winter roses, 

I feel your lesson deep. 

No gray day ever closes 
But leaves us joy to keep.’* 


10 


146 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


‘‘ What's that ? It's new, isn't it ? " asked the 
Colonel. 

‘‘O papa, of course you know it! It is the new 
song — everybody is talking about it,’' said his 
daughter. And then she whispered to Casper : 
“ How stupid papa is to show what he doesn’t 
know before these people ! ’' 

Belinda had sung so tastefully that she was 
asked to play again ; but, although she chose a 
short, simple thing, she did not play it well, — her 
thoughts were occupied with Hannah in the 
kitchen. Had something happened ? Was there 
to be luncheon or not? At last when Belinda, 
in desperation, had played her little nocturne 
three times, the curtains between the rooms 
parted, and Hannah said : 

Dinner — I mean luncheon — is served, — and 
it isn't much !” she added in a lower tone, which 
she fancied nobody could hear, but which was 
plainly audible. 

The dining-room was cool and rose-scented. 
At one end of it was Mrs. Laffan’s tall, old-fash- 
ioned coffee-urn, at the other the high stand of 
raspberries, and in the centre the great bowl of 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. I47 

roses. Hannah saw with delight that they were 
reflected brightly on the mahogany. 

Dear me/’ whispered Miss Ross, I didn’t 
think they had so much style ! ” 

Marguerite, above, was listening intently ; but 
she did not hear this. 

A magnificent tea-urn ! ” said the Colonel, 
rubbing his hands, as the chops and omelet were 
brought in. 

“ It is all we have of splendor,” said Mr. Laffan, 
pleased; and, turning to Casper, You know 
what Horace says, — 

“ ‘ Vivitur parvo bene, cui paternum 
Splendet in mensa ’ ” 

‘‘ All right, sir ! ” Casper said. ‘‘I recognize 
‘ mensa.’ It’s the first declension.” 

Belinda looked at him. 

He doesn’t understand,” she thought. If 
I were a young man, I should learn everything 
worth knowing. I wish I knew enough Latin to 
make that out.” 

‘‘ I never went to college, but Casper has ; I’ve 
spared no mone yon his education,” said the 


148 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Colonel. It would make your hair stand on 
end to know what I have spent on him — capital 
chops ! What a cook you must have ! — I have 
spent thousands on him. Translate that, sir ! he ^ 
said to Casper. 

Casper blushed, and Mr. Laffan came to his 
relief, with a laugh. 

Horace is out of fashion in America,” he said ; 
‘‘ I only meant to say that ‘ he lives on little well 
who decks his plain table with an old bit of silver 
like that.’ ” 

Casper looked happy. 

‘‘Will you bring in the sherry?” asked Mr. 
Laffan of Hannah. 

“No, sir!” said Hannah, promptly. “It is 
against my conscience to bring in any liquor 
while that boy is at the table,” pointing to Casper. 
“ I’ll make no halvers about givin’ drink to grown 
folk, but you ought to know me better than to 
ask me to give sherry to a boy like that.” 

Casper blushed again. Marguerite heard this. 
She threw herself on the bed with a groan. What 
would her fine friends think of her? 

Belinda poured the coffee, and the luncheon 
proceeded, — not without some giggling from the 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. 


149 


girls, as they looked at Casper. The Colonel 
praised everything; and the visitors could see 
nothing to shock the English prejudices, they had 
as good, fashionable Americans, acquired. 

They went out to the lawn and sat on rustic 
chairs. The Colonel said he was so comfortable 
that he did not care how long the man kept the 
brake. He admired the luxuriance of the beds of 
mignonette and heliotrope. Marguerite stepped 
out on the balcony at the end of the corridor and 
heard the talk. She was entirely hidden by the 
Virginia creepers. The Colonel began to sing 
her praises. 

‘‘ She is so simple, so charming, so modest, — 
just what a convent girl ought to be. I wish my 
girls would read the right things,*' said the Colo- 
nel. ‘‘Your daughter seemed quite familiar with 
a very high-class set of books ; mine read trashy 
novels." 

Miss Ross called Fred and Morfido to her. 
They are both nasty creatures, she said to her- 
self ; but they are better as friends than as ene- 
mies. Fred, his face shining and his collar very 
stiff, approached her, with one eye on Belinda. 

“You are going to teach us how to make the 


150 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


new bait, — sure? If you don't, I'll make Morfido 
snap," he whispered to Belinda. 

I always keep my promises," she whispered 
in return. 

All right." And he and Morfido permitted 
Miss Ross to talk to them. Her friend lounged 
on a rustic sofa, and tried to appear awake. The 
Colonel went back to literature. 

‘‘Your daughter, Mr. Laffan, seemed to know 
something about Goldsmith. ‘ The Deserted 
Village,' she said, was a favorite of hers. You 
don't hear many girls talking of a classic like 
that." 

Mr. Laffan looked delighted ; and Marguerite, 
behind the Virginia creepers, felt that she could 
live again. 

“ I picked up a book in our house the other 
day, and dipped into it, and, by Jove, Mr. Laffan, 
it was the most idiotic trash ! It was called 
‘Lady Victoria's Defeat.' Nobody but a fool 
could find any pleasure in it." 

Miss Ross pretended to be busy with Fred, but 
her face reddened. 

“ What are they talking about ? " asked Fred. 

“ Books," said Miss Ross. 


MARGUERITE LISTENS. 


151 


Never had Fred been so anxious to be good, 
never so anxious to give pleasure to every one 
about him. A full meal of corned-beef and cab- 
bage enjoyed in the kitchen, a clean collar, and 
Belinda's approval, made him feel unusually anx- 
ious to do right. He unbuttoned his jacket and 
pulled out a book. 

‘‘ I have seen that novel reviewed," said Mr. 
Laffan. From what I hear, it is not only trash, 
but dangerous trash. I am glad to say that my 
daughter has no taste for books of that sort." 

Here’s one," said Fred, taking a. volume from 
under his jacket. Marg loves this book ; she 
was reading it all the morning. She dropped it, 
and A1 picked it up." 

The Colonel took it, with an indulgent smile, 
and arranged his spectacles to look at the title. 

‘‘What!" he said, suddenly. “‘Lady Vic- 
toria’s Defeat ’ ! The very book we were talking 
of!" 

Miss Ross and Casper laughed. Mr. Laffan 
took the book, looking amazed. Marguerite 
burst into tears and left the balcony. 


152 


BELINDA’S COUSIN’S. 


XXIV. 

WOUNDED VANITY. 

Marguerite was disgusted with the world. 
Even Colonel Ross would not believe in her now. 
She might just as well run away. There was no 
pleasure for her anywhere ; the world was against 
her. She resolved to go to Mrs. Gillflory's ; 
there, at least, she would be appreciated. She 
thought bitterly of Belinda ; what right had she 
to come in and take possession of the house? 

Marguerite wept ; for although she had been 
graduated, she w^as much of a girl yet. She wept, 
and washed her face with cologne water ; and 
wept again. She said to herself that nowhere in 
the world was there anybody so unhappy as she 
was, — nobody in the world could be so unhappy ! 

She looked out of the window, to see the Ross 
party driving away in a stately fashion, with Be- 
linda, her father, and the boys waving their hands. 
Nobody remembered her. What must the Col- 
onel think of her ! 


WOUNDED VANITY. 


153 


You can easily see that Marguerite’s vanity was 
wounded, and nothing hurts so much as that. To 
think that Colonel Ross, who had admired her so 
much, should have been led to have a false esti- 
mate of her by the discovery of that foolish book ! 
And, then, to think that Belinda Murray, who had 
not been so clever as she was at school, should 
have begun to do what she had failed to do — gain 
the love of the boys and make her mother’s life 
happier ! She would go away to Mrs. Gillflory’s, 
since Belinda had taken her place in the house- 
hold. 

She wept again when she reflected on the favors 
she had shown Belinda, — and this was her grati- 
tude ! She heard laughter below her window ; and, 
in spite of her grief, she looked out. Her mother 
was in the wheel-chair ; Belinda was pushing it, 
and the boys on either side, were flourishing their 
fishing rods and bait. 

‘‘ Oh, we shall catch everything now, mamma ! ” 
said Fred. ‘‘ Belinda has kept her promise, and 
made us the new bait.” 

Belinda — always Belinda ! How she hated the 
very name ! 

“ I wish Marguerite were with us ! ” she heard 


154 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


her mother say. I should be happy then. Why, 
Belinda, I did not expect a month ago to be out 
in the air to-day ! You must have some charm in 
you.'' 

Belinda again ! 

The party went on toward the stream, and 
Marguerite returned to her thoughts. She be- 
gan to be hungry, but her dignity would not let 
her leave her room. 

After a time Hannah came upstairs to Mar- 
guerite, with a tray and a letter. 

I thought you’d like a cup of tea, though 
you don't deserve it," said Hannah. ‘‘ I never 
thought that you’d play me such a trick, Margy." 

Marguerite took the tea and rolls. 

I really don’t know what you mean, Han- 
nah," she said. ‘‘ I simply declined to be made a 
fool of. I knew how silly I should look doing 
the honors with such old-fashioned things as we 
have." 

Old-fashioned ! " said Hannah, indignantly. 
‘‘ They’re good enough for your father and 
mother, and for any Ross that was ever born. 
And I can tell you that I heard Miss Ross say that 
she was going to set a luncheon table like ours 


WOUNDED VANITY. 


155 


just as soon as she could. And the Colonel said 
it reminded him of a meal he had at some grand 
place in England. If it was no' for Belinda, I 
should have had to hang my head in shame." 

Oh, Belinda ! " she said, with a sneer. I am 
tired of hearing her name ! " 

Hannah turned away and went downstairs. It 
was the first time she had ever had a real quarrel 
with Marguerite, whom she loved dearly. Her 
heart was full of sadness ; she was indignant, and 
yet anxious to make excuses for her Margy. 

Marguerite drank her tea, and opened the letter. 
It was from Mrs. Gillflory. 

My dear Niece : — Some friends of mine are 
going to Saratoga. It will be very gay there, and 
I want you to come with me. You poor cooped- 
up little thing ! will for once in your life have a 
really good time. You can have as many dresses 
as you like, and do just as you please. So come 
at once." 

Marguerite tore the letter up. Here was her 
chance; she knew very well that her father would 
not let her go. She made up her mind to steal 
away. When she was gone, he would understand 


356 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

what she had suffered. Letters would come from 
Saratoga — perhaps even printed in the papers — 
telling how delighted everybody was with her. 
And then Belinda would see that Marguerite 
Laffan was somebody, — and somebody not to be 
trampled on by a false friend ! 


THE EFFECTS OF SELFISHNESS. 


157 


XXV. 

THE EFFECTS OF SELFISHNESS. 

Marguerite’s conduct had cast a gloom about 
her. Hannah, in the kitchen, sighed every now 
and then; Mr. Laffan, at his desk in his office, 
felt gloomy and unhappy ; Mrs. Laffan, enjoying 
the balmy air as only an invalid used to the house 
can enjoy it, was still a little restless; and Be- 
linda knowing that Marguerite was offended, could 
not share the happiness of the boys. 

Aloysius and Fred and Morfido laughed and 
shouted and even howled with delight. It is a 
mistake to think that dogs cannot laugh. When 
Fred caught a fine perch. Prince grinned from 
ear to ear ; and Morfido snapped his teeth, twin- 
kled his eyes, and actually giggled. The boys and 
the dogs were not at all affected by Marguerite’s 
attitude. The new bait, which Belinda had com- 
pounded after the manner she had learned at con- 
vent picnics, seemed to be suited to the taste of 
the perch in Mr. Laffan’s stream. 


158 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


If Belinda had been able to make base- 
balls, the boys would have been her slaves. As 
it was, they were her friends. But still, her heart 
was heavy and she felt miserable^ 

Ill-temper and selfishness are drops that, like 
noisome liquid in a clear pool, discolor all the 
crystal brightness. Here were four people, who 
ought to have been contented and cheerful, made 
miserable by the selfishness and vanity of Mar- 
guerite. 

Belinda began to feel how lonely she was. She 
had forgotten it since she came to the Laffans\ 
Even Marguerite, her only girl friend, no longer 
liked her. She looked at Mrs. Laffan’s kind, se- 
rene face, and knew that she could love her ; but, 
then, Mrs. Laffan had so many interests, so many 
people to love, that it would be hard for her to 
find a place for an orphan girl with no claims on 
her. She forgot to hold the rod, and let it fall 
into the water, much to Aloysius* disgust, as the 
plash frightened away a minnow which was quite 
large for its age. This reminded Belinda of one 
of Sister Clement’s maxims: ‘‘Avoid self-pity; 
self-pity will make you forget your duties.” With 
a sigh she adjusted the rod again. 


THE EFFECTS OF SELFISHNESS. 


159 


Marguerite looked at a time-table, and deter- 
mined to start for Chicago on the four-o’clock 
train. Her bag had not been unpacked. With 
the addition of a few extra things, she could man- 
age very well until her aunt should give her the 
promised new dresses. She stifled all relenting 
thoughts. They did not want her at home ; they 
preferred Belinda,— let them keep Belinda, then ! 
Sister Clement would think she had done wrong ; 
but Sister Clement was so holy that she did not 
understand the world. At any rate, why should 
she care ? She would show her parents and the 
boys and Belinda that she would not be trampled 
on. 

She determined to steal quietly, with her bag, 
to the corner of the road. There she could meet 
the omnibus on its way to the four-o’clock train. 
She had money enough for her fare ; and she could 
telegraph, so that her aunt’s carriage should meet 
her at the station in Chicago. 

Marguerite, after looking around the pretty 
room, turned to the little altar on which the statue 
of Our Lord stood, with a red light burning be- 
fore it. Hannah had kept the light glowing during 
her absence. She was about to kneel to say a 


160 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


prayer, but she resisted the inspiration. She 
would not pray with her heart full of bitterness. 

’ For the first time she turned away. 

Perhaps her father would never let her come 
back. Perhaps she might never see her mother 
again : perhaps she might die, or her mother might 
die. A mist came before her eyes — but she looked 
out the window and saw Belinda in the act of put- 
ting a shawl over her mother’s shoulders. Belinda 
had no right to do that, she thought ; and her 
mother had no business to smile so gratefully. 
How she hated Belinda! How glad she would 
be to get away ! Even those imps of boys hated 
her. Nobody loved her, except Aunt Gillflory ; 
and, of course, her father did not approve of Aunt 
Gillflory. 

Marguerite knew she was doing wron^. There 
was a struggle in her heart between vanity and 
conscience. She could not do wrong without 
knowing it ; and she turned her face away from 
the red light before the Sacred Heart, as she passed 
it on her way to get her bag. ‘‘ Ungrateful girl ! ” 
her heart said. Ungrateful girl ! ” 

She took her bag in her hand. The benign face 
behind the red light seemed to follow her. Surely 


THE EFFECTS OF SELFISHNESS. 161 

Sister Clement was praying for her at that mo- 
ment. 

She heard a noise on the stairs. Fred's voice 
sounded on the lower landing. She stood still, 
put her bag back, and began to descend the stairs 
to warn Fred not to come up. But Morfido 
rushed against her ; she stepped aside, her ankle 
turned, and she sank on the landing with a low 
cry of pain. 


li 


162 


BELINDA’S cousma 


XXVL 

THE MINISTRY OF PAIN. 

Marguerite could not move, and neither 
Fred nor Morfido appeared in the least affected 
by her sad condition. They were so heartless, 
she thought. 

It just served you right!’' said Fred. ‘^You 
kicked that dog, and he is paying you back. 
Mamma sent me to see you, and to ask you to come 
down to the stream. The fishes are biting like 
mad.” 

Marguerite did not answer ; the pain in her 
ankle gave her keen agony. 

What are you all dressed up for?” asked 
Fred, standing with Morfido on one of the lowest 
steps of the stairs. 

‘‘Take off my hat and jacket, — there!” said 
Marguerite, giving him her hat. 

Fred saw by the expression of her face that she 
was in pain, and he pulled her light jacket from 


THE MINISTRY OF PAIN. 163 

her ; and, for once obeying orders, took them into 
the room. 

She felt relieved. Whoever came now would 
not know that she had intended to go away. She 
tried desperately to rise. It was impossible. 
Fred, really frightened, tried to lift her, but he 
succeeded only in increasing her suffering. 

“ I’ll go and tell Belinda or Hannah,” he said. 
And, with Morfido at his heels, he started off. 

Marguerite, left alone, did not attempt to stir. 
She was sure that her ankle was broken. Visions 
of doctors, of knives, of cutting, made her blood 
run cold. Suppose she should die under the sur- 
geon’s knife, without time to repent of her sins ? 
She would never again set her will up against 
everybody in the house; she would be more tol- 
erant of the little faults of her brothers ; she 
would devote herself to her mother, and think no 
more of her Aunt Gillflory’s frivolities. 

All these resolutions crossed her mind. Pain 
is a great corrector of faults ; and, as she sat there 
on the stairs unable to move, she became very 
humble Indeed. She would even forgive Belinda 
Murray. She had deliberately turned her back on 
the Sacred Heart, and she was punished. She 


164 : 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


tried to turn, and uttered an involuntary cry, — 
there could be no doubt about it, she would be 
lame for life. To be unable to walk, to sit still 
and see others in motion, to have to be waited on, 
to be dependent on the kindness of those around 
her, to be pushed about in a wheel-chair like her 
mother ! Oh, I would rather be dead ! she ex- 
claimed. Then she thought of how her mother 
must have suffered all these years. She could 
understand it now. 

O Marguerite ! ” spoke Belinda's voice, I am 
so sorry, — don’t try to move ! Be still ! ” she 
added, as a look of pain crossed her friend’s face. 
“ I will get Hannah to come. It is nothing. 
You have only sprained your ankle.” 

“ Are you sure ? ” asked Marguerite, in a weak 
voice. ‘‘ I feel that I shall never walk again.” 

‘‘ It is nothing,” repeated Belinda, — ‘‘ nothing 
at all. It is only a little painful.” 

Only a little painful ! ” said Marguerite to 
herself ; only ! ” 

Belinda soon returned with Hannah and Aloy- 
sius. Fred, in the meantime, had cheerfully an- 
nounced to his mother that Marg had broken both 
her feet off. Mrs. Laffan was in great distress at 


THE MINISTRY OF PAIN. 


165 


first ; but, as Belinda did not rush out to tell of 
any dreadful thing having happened, she tried to 
be composed. 

Hannah, Belinda, and Aloysius managed to lift 
Marguerite to the lounge in her room. They did it 
as gently as possible, but they could not prevent 
Marguerite from having severe twinges of pain. 
I shall never walk again ! she declared. 

^‘Oh, yes, you will! '' said Belinda, smoothing 
her pillow. Don’t you remember the stout girl 
at school who sprained her ankle ? Agnes Reed ? 
Don’t you remember ? ” 

Oh, yes ! ” said Marguerite, brightening up. 

She walks as well as anybody now.” 

Having made Marguerite as comfortable as 
possible, Belinda went to tell Mrs. Laffan of the 
accident ; and Hannah proceeded with a sharp 
knife to cut off Marguerite’s shoe, for the ankle 
had begun to swell. 

Mrs. Laffan insisted on returning to the house. 
But she could not ascend the stairs until Hannah 
was disengaged. With the help of Hannah and 
Belinda, she reached Marguerite’s room, and 
waited there until Aloysius arrived with the 
doctor. 


166 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


A bad sprain/' the physician said. And, 
after making a careful examination, he announced 
that Marguerite would have to stay in her room 
for two or three weeks. She began to cry. 

^'It is nothing, my dear," her mother said. 

Think how long I have been a prisoner ; yet, 
through God’s grace, the days were not all 
lonely." 

‘‘ It’s not that, mamma, — it’s not that. I am 
glad. It is what I deserved. I deserved, mamma," 
she exclaimed, ‘‘ to be a cripple all my life ! ’’ 

‘‘ Poor child ! ’’ said Mrs. Laffan. I do not 
think your little faults deserved any such punish- 
ment." 

And she smoothed her daughter’s hair, and 
said all manner of kind things, as is the way with 
mothers. 

Belinda looked on, forgetting herself in the 
happiness of these two. Hannah glanced over 
the screen, behind which she was tearing up linen 
for bandages, and, seeing Belinda’s bright face, 
said : 

It’s not always the bairns that have mothers 
deserve them as well as them that don’t.” 


A PRISONER. 


167 


XXVII. 

A PRISONER. 

Marguerite’s two weeks in her room length- 
ened into four, and still she could not stand. The 
sprain was complicated in some way which the 
surgeon learnedly described, but which descrip- 
tion did not ease the pain. However, he was 
very kind, and Marguerite was always glad to see 
him ; and she was so grateful to him for not con- 
demning her to perpetual imprisonment, that she 
was never cross or irritable. 

Marguerite’s room was large and light. She 
had never taken much pride in it, though it was 
capable of many improvements. Early in the 
first week of her illness Marguerite had quite for- 
given Belinda. She could not help it. The 
long, sleepless nights of the first week, when she 
was alone with the little red light, made her see 
more clearly. She could do nothing but pray, 
and prayer is like a magnifying-glass to one’s 


168 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


faults and other folk’s virtues. Besides, Belinda’s 
deft fingers made the room very pretty and home- 
like. She found some old curtains in the attic, 
br ightened them up, and hung their yellow folds 
in such a way that even on dark days the room 
was in a glow. She taught Aloysius and Fred 
how to make a flower-stand which glowed with all 
the hues of the rainbow ; she hung up some ne- 
glected water-colors, and made a dressing-table 
which, looped with yellow and white, surprised 
and delighted Marguerite. 

I don’t think I shall ever marry,” Fred said; 
but if I ever do, it shall be Belinda. She knows 
how to do things that make a fellow comfortable. 
But even if I do marry somebody about my own 
age, I shall always have Belinda as house- 
keeper.” 

Mr. Laffan dropped his paper and smiled. 

'‘And,” continued Fred, "I almost wish Mar- 
guerite would sprain her ankle again as soon as 
she gets better.” 

Mr. Laffan looked horrified. 

" What do you mean by that, sir?” 

" Oh, she gives less trouble when she’s in her 
room ! She don’t nag so much.” 


A PRISONER. 


169 


Mr. Laffan mused over these speeches. 

Marguerite's room had become the meeting 
place of the family. It was the most cheerful 
place in the house. Mrs. Laffan spent the after- 
noons and evenings there ; Mr. Laffan, instead of 
reading in his study, came up, too ; and the boys 
did not now have to be coaxed out of the kitchen 
or the back-yard. Morfido and Prince were 
allowed to doze on the hearthrug, and Belinda 
had always a supply of new stories or games. 

Mrs. Gillflory had sent a telegram from Sara- 
toga — So sorry! Hope you will get well." 
But she had not written. 

The Ross girls came over often with flowers 
and fruit ; and, now that their friends were gone, 
they made opportunities for spending after- 
noons in Marguerite's room, with Mrs. Laffan and 
Belinda. 

Marguerite saw with surprise that these fash- 
ionable young women looked on her simple, sin- 
cere, gentle mother as an example. They flut- 
tered about her, and listened to her advice with a 
strange meekness. And Belinda and they soon 
became the greatest of friends. 

‘‘ I only wish Casper were like your brothers," 


170 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Miss Ross said, to Marguerite's amazement, one 
day. Casper will not stay at home ; he tries to 
be a man. And I am afraid he drinks when he 
goes to the village." 

Our boys are so rough ! " answered Mar- 
guerite. 

‘‘ But they are good, and they never disobey 
your mother or Belinda." 

Marguerite did not reply. She had learned 
during these long weeks that the rulers of the 
house were ruled by unselfishness and cheerful- 
ness. She saw that Belinda could conquer others 
because she could conquer herself. 

The Ross girls came over nearly every day ; 
and one day Mrs. Laffan asked them to bring 
Casper, to celebrate, with tea in the rose-arbor, 
the entrance of Marguerite into real life again. 
Casper came ; the tea went off well ; Marguerite 
walked twice around the arbor, with great ap- 
plause and with evident approval from Prince and 
Morfido. But Casper found the whole thing 
** slow," and showed off all his affectations. 

It is our fault," Miss Ross said. We never 
tried to keep him at home." 

When Marguerite recovered, the old friendship 


A PRISONER. 171 

between Belinda and herself was restored. She 
tried to conquer herself, and the cheerful words 
of her father and mother, and the new opinion 
which her brothers formed of her, showed that 
she had succeeded. 

‘'You have made us very happy,’' her mother 
said one day, as they sat together in the rose-arbor. 

“ I must not let you say that,” replied Mar- 
guerite, her face flushing. " I must tell you how 
wicked I was. I wanted to ” 

Mrs. Laffan put her hand over her daughter’s 
lips. 

" I know. Fred has sharp eyes and a willing 
tongue. Let us forget.” 

At this moment Belinda came up ; and Mar- 
guerite, with tears in her eyes, put her friend’s 
hand into that of her mother. 

“ Belinda,” she said, “ my mother is your mother 
now.” 

She was jealous no more ; she had suffered for 
the first time in her life, and the pain had been 
as a ministering angel, — as pain with prayer 
always is. 


172 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XXVIII. 

MRS. GILLFLORY. 

Unexpectedly, one day in August, Mrs. Gill- 
flory made known her intention of visiting her 
brother. Her daughter was so much interested 
in all manner of gayeties that she had very little 
if any time to give to her mother, and Mrs. Gill- 
flory needed a great deal of attention. She liked 
to have somebody to wait on her, and so one day 
there came a telegram announcing that she was 
coming to carry off Marguerite. 

Marguerite had really suffered. A badly sprained 
ankle may not seem of much importance, but it 
probably gives greater pain than more serious in- 
juries. And it caused Marguerite to think and 
to realize what her mother had endured. 

She was sitting in the rose-arbor when Fred 
brought the telegram, which her father had sent 
to her. Fred, of course, was accompanied by 
Morfido, who enjoyed himself in the summer 
because it was not winter. Morfido, having no 


MRS. GILLFLORY. 


173 


hair on his back, could not stand the winter In 
this country without great Inconvenience. He 
had become more imp-like than ever. Fred held 
the yellow envelope in his hand, and Morfido 
yelped and jumped at It. Fred enjoyed this, and 
he kept out of reach of Marguerite, who reclined 
in a steamer chair, reading “ Le Journal d’Eugenie 
de Guerin,'' with a dictionary at her elbow. She 
was in a serene mood ; she had borne her part of 
the household burdens in the morning, earned a 
word of praise from Hannah, written a letter in 
French to Sister Clement, and now she was wait- 
ing until her mother had her nap, to help her to 
the wheel-chair. 

Fred and Morfido danced around her, Morfido's 
eyes gleaming with mischief. Fred grinned, 
jumped on one leg, screwed his eyes and nose up 
into horrible wrinkles, and otherwise ‘‘ tantalized 
Marguerite. Since she had recovered she was no 
longer company,” and Fred was not so sympa- 
thetic as he had formerly been. 

It must be admitted that Marguerite longed to 
pull his ears and to choke Morfido — a little. But 
she had learned from Belinda that small boys may 
be reached by forbearance at times ; and that 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


ITi 

punishment, unless it descends in a deluge after 
awful thunders, is of very little use. 

She kept her eyes on her book. Having dis- 
ported himself sufficiently, the mischievous Fred 
at last gave her the telegram, and she thanked 
him. 

There’s no fun tantalizing you now,” he said : 
“you don’t scold or fuss. It’s from Aunt Gill- 
flory. She is coming.” 

Marguerite read her aunt’s telegram ; and Fred 
ran away, for fear that he might be asked to carry 
an answer back to the office. Marguerite had 
thought over her life at the convent, and con- 
sidered from her new point of view the trouble 
she had given the Sisters. How fractious and 
censorious she had been after each visit to Aunt 
Gillflory’s ! How impatient of the convent sim- 
plicity ! She now saw that the convent rules, 
obeyed in the proper spirit, were a better pre- 
paration for home life than the pretentious exist- 
ence at Mrs. Gillflory’s. She saw very clearly 
that Belinda’s tact, her devotion to duty, and her 
pleasure dn little things, were the result of her 
acceptance of lessons learned in the convent. 

Why, she thought, had Belinda, who was not 


MRS. GILLFLORY. 


175 


SO clever as she was, got more out of the school- 
life than she had ? Mrs. Gillflory’s influence had 
made her hate simplicity, and long for that arti- 
ficial society which exists only in those circles 
that take the newspapers' social columns for their 
models. Probably if her parents had not seen 
the difference between her and Belinda, they 
would have thought she had been spoiled by her 
stay at the convent ; whereas it was all the Sisters 
could do to preserve her from vulgar outside in- 
fluence. Only so recently as at the last Com- 
mencement, Mrs. Gillflory had made a scene be- 
cause the Sister would not let Marguerite wear a 
fashionable gown, with an enormous train of silk, 
that would do to come out " in. She saw now 
that simplicity was best. The Rosses were fash- 
ionable, and yet they seemed worried : smarting 
under imaginary slights, and anxious for some- 
thing they could not reach. She could not help 
sighing for a moment when she thought of the 
new games, dances, and music at Saratoga ; but, 
after all, what did she know about them, except 
from her aunt's talk? 

The train was due at noon. There would be 
scarcely time to meet it ; and indeed, before 


176 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Marguerite could dress, the carriage in which 
Belinda had come crawled up to the garden, and 
Mrs. Gillflory descended. She was dazzling in 
heliotrope and fawn-color, and the powder came 
off her face as she kissed Marguerite on both 
cheeks. 

“ My poor, poor child,’' she said, ‘‘ how white 
you look ! Ah, why did you not come to me 
when you left that horrid school ? I know my 
brother — dear honest man ! — can never under- 
stand you ; he never understood me ! Now you 
shall come to me, my love, and look after my be- 
longings and write my letters. Your own dear 
cousin has been engaged twice since she saw you, 
and here you have pined, as itw^ere, on the parent 
stem. I shall start back to-morrow. I knew 
that nothing but my presence would force your 
papa to let you go.” 

Mrs. Gillflory stopped for breath ; it was hard 
work, she always said, for a delicate vocal organ 
like hers to keep up with her thoughts. She 
twitched her train with her left hand, adjusted 
her hat with her right, and dabbed more powder 
on her niece’s cheek. 

At this moment Fred and Morfido came up. 


MRS. GILLFLORY. 


177 


‘‘What a sweet child!’* Mrs. Gillflory said. 
“ How he has grown ! What soft color! — a real 
Murillo.” 

“ I ain’t ! ” said Fred. “ You’re another.” 

“ Dear me ! — how rural ! ” observed Mrs. Gill- 
flory, smiling. “ Come, kiss me, child.” 

“ I won’t,” said Fred. “ Fll make Morfido snap 
at you. I don’t want to be kissed : you’ll leave 
flour all over my face, and Belinda made me wash 
it once to-day.” 

“Am I really so pale?’’ asked Mrs. Gillflory. 
“ I have suffered so during your illness. It has 
left its traces.” 

Marguerite asked the driver to carry Mrs. Gill- 
flory’s luggage to the house, and Fred and Mor- 
fido followed the man. / 

As Marguerite and her aunt went up the path 
they tnet Belinda, fresh and rosy, coming down 
with a bunch of flowers for the little shrine in the 
rose-arbor. 

“Ah, the governess?” asked Mrs. Gillflory, 
putting up her long-handled eyeglass. 

“ She is my friend, Belinda,” answered Mar- 
guerite. “You have heard me talk of her.” 

“ Ah, yes, I believe so ! ” Then Mrs. Gillflory 
12 


178 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


raised her arm high in the air, and dangled her 
hand toward Belinda. 

Belinda looked at Marguerite, but gained no 
help there. 

« ‘‘ Shake hands, my child,- — do ! How painfully 
unformed you are ! Dear me, those convents ! 
You are quite in the style, but so much of a 
child ! And here my own dear girl was en- 
gaged twice before she went abroad ! 

Belinda grasped her hand, and, in her con- 
fusion, dropped a low courtesy, 
t ‘‘How quaint! Quite the presentation 
courtesy ! Do you write a good hand, my dear, 
and can you mend a little? ” 

^ “ Yes, Sis — yes, Mrs. Gillflory,'’ replied Belinda, 
divided between awe and a desire to giggle. 

“Well, if dear Peggy's papa refuses to let her 
go, I think I might make you equally usefuk 
Indeed, I begin to feel that probably Peggy had 
better stay at home ; she is looking pale, and I 
am afraid she could not help me at all. You look 
so strong ? Do you really write a good hand ? 
Peggy's is not English, you know — I really can't 
call her Marguerite ; everything French is so old- 
fashioned, you know. The really old names are 


MRS. GILLFLORY. 


179 


in again ; I assure you Peggy Popkins and Molly 
Killgren are quite the smartest girls in our set.'' 

Mrs. Gillflory beamed on Belinda, and linked 
her arm in hers. 

You look as if you liked work," she said. 

Of course you'll have a good time ; for now I 
see Peggy's not up to what I require. She dared 
not look at Marguerite. So this artificial, chat- 
tering creature was her ideal of womanhood ! 
Marguerite cast down her eyes ; her heart was 
bitter. Belinda was preferred again ! She caught 
a look in her friend’s honest eyes that consoled 
her. 

The meeting between Mr. Laffan and his sister 
was not particularly cordial. It was observed 
that she wiped off some of the powder before she 
greeted him, and that the modish handshake was 
not produced. 

She had heard Belinda play, she had made her 
talk — her accent was better than Marguerite's, — 
she made her walk. She declared enthusiastically 
that she could make a companion of the dear 
girl, as Marguerite was so ill. Later she might 
have Marguerite, too. Marguerite's lip curled. 
These were the affection and the ideas she had 


180 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


preferred to Sister Clement’s to her father’s and 
mother’s ! 

Mrs. Laffan was well enough to come down to 
the porch in the twilight for tea. They sat under 
the broad leaves of the Dutchman’s Pipe, while 
Marguerite made the tea. 

‘‘Well,” said rs. MGillflory, “ I suppose I may 
take Belinda to-morrow?” 

Fred swallowed two lumps of sugar, so that 
they scraped his throat ; he opened his eyes. 
Aloysius glanced at his aunt. 

“ I leave it to Belinda,” said Mr. Laffan. 

“ No, I thank you,” answered Belinda, from 
the twilight. 

“ Then Marguerite,” said Mrs. Gillflory, — “ that 
is, if Belinda, won’t come.” 

“ No ! ” said Fred. 

“ No ! ” cried both he and Aloysius. 

“ We shall not let Marg or Belinda go ! So 
there ! ” said Fred. 

The rulers of the house had spoken. 

Tears filled Marguerite’s eyes ; she stooped 
and kissed the little boy, and even patted 
Morfido. 

The next day Mrs. Gillflory went off alone. 


A DOOR OPENS. 


181 


XXIX. 

A DOOR OPENS. 

Life went very quietly at the Laffans for some 
months. Belinda found a few music pupils in the 
village; but they were very few, and not nearly 
so clever as her Jewish class of department of the 
old days in New York. Still,* what she earned 
enabled her to buy her simple clothes, and to this 
Mr. Laffan, respecting her desire to be indepen- 
dent, did not object. 

As the months went by, Belinda threw off the 
sadness that had settled on her since her grand- 
mother’s death, and broke out occasionally into 
that gayety which had been part of her character 
as a little girl. She had been cheerful, of course, 
since she had come to the Laffans’, but her cheer- 
fulness was very many times a matter of duty. 
Her experience in New York had not heightened 
her spirits. Then came the greatest blow of all, 
— her dear grandmother’s death. The Sisters in 


182 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


the convent had done all they could to console 
her, but the pain remained. And then there was 
that uncertainty about life, — the ways and means 
of living, — which some young girls are forced 
to consider too early in their years. The little 
Belinda in Washington had bloomed as the flowers 
bloom ; — there would be always light and air and 
always the dear grandmother. Why should she 
think about the future ? This condition of things 
had ended, as we know. Even Amelie, on whom 
she had tried to mould herself, was gone for the 
present at least. ' Bob was away, and if, as she 
had said often to herself, she had not made friends 
of the saints, she would have had no family at all ! 
Under the weight of her grief, — which she kept 
to herself — and, desiring, above all, to do her duty, 
she had proved of great service in the Laffan 
household ; and no family could have shown it- 
self more grateful. She was not only a friend, 
but a cousin. At the same time Belinda began 
to feel that she was sometimes a little in Mar- 
guerite’s way. 

It was evident that the boys preferred Belinda ; 
she was not “ grown up ; ” it was plain, too, that 
Mr. Laffan was coming more and more to depend 


A DOOR OPENS. 


183 


on her for his amusements in the evening. And 
once she caught sight of Marguerite’s face when 
he unconsciously wounded his daughter by say- 
ing, ‘‘ Oh, don’t try to make the tea. Marguerite ; 
nobody can make tea like Belinda.” 

Besides, in Belinda’s heart there was growing a 
desire to be free to earn her own living. She 
knew that Mr. LafTan could, in the future, barely 
provide for his own children. The glimpse of life 
in New York had made her very practical, — much 
more practical than most young girls of her age 
and class. She was poor, and she accepted it ; 
but she determined to be poor no longer than she 
could help it. 

Neither Amelie nor the Watson girls would 
have had this point of view. It would never have 
occurred to Marguerite, who had been protected 
all her life. Amelie would probably have been 
poor very gracefully and not have murmured ; 
Marguerite would have been entirely helpless ; 
but Belinda had resolved not to be helpless. Mr. 
Laffan was astonished when, during their usual 
walk in the evening, she said, — 

‘‘ Uncle, I want money.” 

Mr. Laffan laughed. 


184 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Well, you can have it, — but don’t, my dear, 
talk as if you were a highwayman.” 

Belinda laughed, too, with a hint of the old 
gayety of the days when she and Bob Watson had 
been such good friends. 

“ I mean that I want to earn it.” 

Why,” her uncle asked, startled, haven’t you 
everything you need ? ” 

Oh, yes, — you give me a beautiful home, and 
more than that a thousand times ; — you and my 
aunt treat me as if I were your daughter. But if 
Fred should be ill again, — if anything — ” she 
* paused, should happen, I should be dependent 
and very poor. Voluntary poverty, such as the 
nuns embrace, is different ; it makes them happy. 
I don’t think I shall be a nun, but I have an 
idea that Amelie will be one, so voluntary poverty 
is out of the question for me.” 

Mr. Laffan ceased to swing his stick; he paused, 
smiled, and then laughed. 

Why, you talk like a grown-up woman, not 
like little Belinda.” 

Uncle,” said Belinda, seriously, I suppose 
that if I had not lived among the poor in New 
York, I shouldn’t feel this way. I suppose it 


A DOOR OPENS. 


185 


looks hard and practical. Oh, I know, Uncle, that 
you are going to say that you'll always treat me 
as you treat Marguerite ; but " 

“ I may die," her uncle said, gently. Don't 
be afraid to say it. I think of it every day. And 
I couldn’t bear to think of it at all if I did not 
trust in God ; I am doing my best, and He will 
take care of me and mine." 

But I am not doing my best," Belinda said. 

And I must do my best ; I teach a little and I 
earn two dollars a week, if the children are not 
sick or if it doesn't rain or snow ; but I ought to 
do more than that." 

‘‘You are the light of the house! You’ve 
simply reformed those young rascals of mine ; 
they're really very nice boys now. That's doing 
a great deal, isn't it ? " 

“You are very kind. Uncle." Belinda stooped 
to pick a handful of wild asters. 

“A woman’s place is at home, and a girl who 
expects to be a noble woman ought to stay at 
home; this, Belinda, is your home. Your aunt 
will tell you so." 

“ I know that." Belinda’s eyes filled with tears. 
“ My aunt is like a mother to me." 


186 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘And Marguerite? — Marguerite loves you.’* ’ 
Belinda turned away her face, to look at the 
sunset. Marguerite would love her more if she 
were not taking Marguerite’s place. 

“ Marguerite is the kindest of cousins.” 

“ The Sisters will tell you,” Mr. Laffan con- 
tinued, “ that the place of women is the home- 
maker. Stay with us ; you are sheltered here, 
and the world is very big and dark.” 

“ Don’t you think I know that. Uncle ?” 
Aloysius and Morfido rushed past them in a 
mad run, — Aloysius crying, — 

“Belinda! Belinda! I am the Shamrock and 
Morfido is the Defender. He’s a minute ahead ! ” 
“ See, how that little scamp loves you ! ” 

“ Don’t you think I know that, too. Uncle. 
But I must make my own way. The Sisters im- 
pressed that upon me. I’m nineteen. Uncle.” 

“ So old ! ” said her uncle, smiling. “ Suppose 
you take a continued course in music. You can 
go back to the convent, and I will bear the ex- 
pense. Something more can be done with your 
voice.” 

“ Oh, I haven’t much voice, — I might sing 
kindergarten songs, — that’s about all ; the Sisters 


A DOOR OPENS. 187 

know that I would never do much with my music. 
I used to think I had talent.’' 

My dear, you have ! ” exclaimed Mr. Laffan, 
eagerly. I’ve heard you play ‘ The Harp that 
Once ’ and sing ‘ The Meeting of the Waters ’ 
in a way that brought tears to my eyes. And, 
as to that little song, the ‘ Winter Roses/ I 
don’t think Patti could have done it better.” 

Oh, you dear Uncle ! ” said Belinda, stopping 
to put some of the asters into his buttonhole. 
‘‘I wish the world could be made to think your 
way ; — I’d give concerts at a thousand dollars a 
night, and save up enough to send the boys to 
college by and by, and to give aunt an ocean 
trip.” 

Mr. Laffan looked grave. Times were hard : 
the doctor had ordered an ocean trip for his wife, 
and, after that, the sum he had saved for the 
boys’ education would be rhuch diminished. 

They were nearing the house. 

A letter from your sister, Mrs. Gillflory came 
in the last mail,” Belinda said, ‘‘ and I think it 
right to show it to you first.” 

Mr. Laffan put on his glasses, and took the 
letter, with a disapproving shake of his head. 


188 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


My dear Belinda : ” it ran, ‘‘ I have had 
such a hard autumn. Three secretaries have come 
and gone ; and I observed that, when you ac- 
knowledged the receipt of the lace handkerchief I 
sent you, you wrote a very nice hand, so I conclude 
that you'd better come to me as my secretary. 
I suppose, brought up in a convent, you must 
know something about the etiquette of note- 
writing, — I never let my secretary write really 
long letters, — and what you don't know, you can 
pick up. I'd ask Marguerite, — Peggy, / prefer to 
call her, — but, of course, I couldn't pay her or 
treat her just as I like to treat a secretary. When 
I pay people, I expect to say what I like to 
them " 

‘‘ My child," said Mr. Laffan, breaking off, 
you'd never stand herT 

I'd stand more than that for the sake of earn- 
ing my own living and something over," said Be- 
linda, her cheeks flushing. She gathered another 
handful of the asters, which the frost had spared, 
and let her uncle go on with the letter. 

‘‘ If you can come next week, I will give you 
sixty dollars a month, — mind, not fifteen dollars 
a week, — and your clothes, — for, of course, you 


A DOOR OPENS. 


189 


can't have as good frocks as I expect an inmate 
of my house to have. I am living in New York 
now, as you see ; there will be house-guests with 
me this winter, cousins of yours, too, Claudia and 
Arnold Deresby. You will probably not have 
much time with them, for I am to bring Claudia 
‘ out ' and Arnold will attend musical courses at 
the Conservatory. I send a cheque for your 
expenses. You can show this letter to your uncle 
and aunt, who, I must say, are sensible enough to 
see that this is a great chance for you." 

‘‘Well, well!" said Mr. Laffan. He always 
said, “ Well, well," when he was annoyed.*^ 

“Well?" echoed Belinda. 

“ I must consult your aunt." 

Belinda put her arm within her uncle's. The 
two walked through the frost-touched asters, 
which, in the darkening shades, were so much like 
the ghosts of summer daisies. A chill came into 
the air, and one or two snowflakes fell. 

“ Winter will be here before Thanksgiving," 
her uncle said. 

A pain seemed to go through Belinda's heart. 
Thanksgiving 1 And she should be far away. 

A ruddy light streamed from the hall. The 


190 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


boys ran out to kiss their father. Marguerite 
followed ; but, when she saw Belinda, she drew 
back. 

I must go,*' Belinda said to herself. I 
must go." 

‘‘We'll not speak of this until to-morrow," Mr, 
Laffan said, returning the letter to her. 

“ Oh, you and papa have a secret," Marguerite 
remarked, as the girls were changing their gowns 
for the evening meal. 

“ No ! " Belinda kissed Marguerite, with tears 
in her eyes. “ No. It is no secret." 

More than ever was she resolved to go. 


WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 


191 


XXX. 

WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 

. At breakfast the next morning Mr. Laffan 
announced that Belinda was expected to go for a 
long visit to Mrs, Gillflory’s in New York city. 

Aloysius and Fred raised their voices in pro- 
test. 

We can’t do without Belinda,” exclaimed 
Aloysius. She sews all my buttons on. Before 
she came, I had to use safety-pins all the time. 
And she can make everything ! ” 

We’re making some frames for Christmas 
gifts,” piped Fred, and I know that mine will 
get wrong if Belinda goes.” 

Marguerite was surprised. As her father made 
the announcement, she raised her eyes to meet 
those of Belinda. 

/‘I am sorry, — really very sorry,” she said,/^ but, 


192 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


of course, you’ll come home often. Oh, Belinda, 
what will / do without you,” she added, remem- 
bering the various things which she hoped to 
accomplish with her friend’s assistance. ‘^•There 
are all those lace collars for Christmas ! — I can 
never design them, and I counted on them for so 
many presents ! ” 

Mrs. Laffan said nothing ; tears came into her 
eyes. She had made a great effort and had come 
down to the breakfast table purely because it 
was Belinda’s last day. 

I don’t know who’ll help me with the desserts,” 
began the privileged servant. 

It seems to me that all the reasons for keep- 
ing Belinda here are rather selfish reasons,” Mr. 
Laffan said, but I am sure there must be others 
not yet spoken. The worst of it is, that my sister 
wants Belinda to start on the midnight train, and 
I suppose she’ll have to go.” 

‘‘Alone?” exclaimed Marguerite. 

“No,” answered Mr. Laffan, “ I have business 
in Rochester, and I can make it convenient to go 
now.” 

Mrs. Laffan smiled ; she had urged this very 
strongly, and had made an unusual effort to ap- 


WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 193 

pear better in health, that her husband might be 
induced to take this resolution. 

If Marguerite would like to go,'’ Mr. Laffan 
said, I should be glad to take her too ; it will mean 
only an absence of ten days or so ! ” 

Oh,” exclaimed Marguerite, eagerly, I want 
to stay here ; — I shall have mother all to myself.” 

Belinda looked down at her plate. The secret 
was out ! Marguerite still loved her as a friend, 
— she was sure of that, — but she wanted her 
mother all to herself.” 

Morfido will not like it,” said Fred, decidedly. 
“ Nobody will like it ; — Aunt Gillflory is rich, she 
told me so, why isn’t she satisfied to let other 
peogle be, — Belinda belongs to ns; — she’s no 
kin to Aunt Gillflory.’' 

I must go, Fred,*’ Belinda said, gently. I’ll 
never have any better friends than I’ve had here. 
Some day you’ll have to go out to earn your own 
living, — we all, — that is, nearly all of us do, — and 
I hope that you’ll have as good friends as I have 
to keep you in good courage.” 

Fred screwed up his face, preparatory to ut- 
tering a tearful protest. 

^‘You’ll see the circus!” he said, suddenly 

13 


194 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


changing his intention, as this beautiful thought 
occurred to him. ‘‘You’ll see lots of things, — 
football matches, and perhaps a murder. They’re 
always killing people in New York.” 

“ Where did you get such ideas ? ” asked his 
father, sternly. 

“ I read about New York in a newspaper Ru- 
precht had at the barn. Something is always 
happening there. I wouldn’t like to see a man 
killed, but I’d like to be in the fight. I say, Be- 
linda, if you’re ever in a fight, write to ine ^ — a long 
letter.” 

“ Look out for live wires ; — in Ruprecht’s paper 
people are always being killed by live wires. You 
know what a live wire is? You remember \^hen 
one fell into our peach tree near the road ? ” cried 
Aloysius. “ Live wires are lying about every- 
where in New York.” 

“And bunco-steerers,” pursued Fred, in great 
excitement. “ Somebody will say, — ‘ Miss, is your 
name Jones? ’ You will say, — ‘ Oh, no, my name is 
Belinda Murray.’ He will say, — ‘ How do you 
do, Belinda.’ And you will say, — ‘Very well, 
thank you.’ He will say, — ‘ I have a gold brick 
which is very cheap for all the money you have.' 


WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 


195 


You will say, — ‘ Thank you, — I am glad to buy 
your gold brick.' But don’t you do it!” cried 
Fred, breathlessly, Don t you do it !” 

If you do,” said Aloysius, taking up the 
thread of the discourse, you will find that the^ 
brick is just a brick and no gold at all. Ruprecht 
told us about it. Then you will go to the police 
station and stay all night because all your money 
will be gone. People in New York when they 
buy gold bricks always go to the police station 
for the night. But don’t you do it, Belinda!” 

I will not,” answered Belinda, “ I am not fond 
of gold bricks. . Besides, your father will be with 
me, and I am sure that he can keep me safe.” 

And, Oh, father ! ” — began Aloysius. 

“ Oh, papa,” interrupted Fred, don't ride in 
the trolley cars, — don’t ! Ruprecht, who used to 
work on a farm near New York before he went to 
Chicago, says that a man’s life is not safe on a 
Broadway car. If you are not crushed, you’re 
blown up ” 

Blown up ! ” cried Aloysius. taking up the 
thread of these horrors. There are tunnels full 
of dynamite under every street, — just full ! And 
all of a sudden you see your head blown off ” 


196 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


** I must see Ruprecht/’ said Mr. Laffan, 
gravely, and suppress his favorite newspaper as 
far, at least, as my little sons are concerned. Be- 
linda, you must remember, lived in New York at 
one time, without losing her head or buying a gold 
brick.’’ 

The boys shook their heads. 

It’s different now ! ” 

Besides,” said Fred, ‘‘things never happen to 
girls. It’s always men that things happen to ; — 
so I suppose Belinda will get through all right.” 

“ Let us hope so. And now,” Mrs. Laffan said, 
“ we must all get to work and help her and papa 
to be ready.” 

Belinda was accompanied to her room by Mar- 
guerite. There was much to be done, and Mar- 
guerite was very helpful. 

For a time the girls said little. 

“ I shall hang my photographs just as they are 
here,” said Belinda, during a pause spent in search 
of the Pond Extract bottle, “ in my new room. 
I want to fancy that I am at home, — and. Mar- 
guerite, that toreador’s sash which you gave me 
shall hang always behind your picture, just as it 
is here.” 


WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 


197 


Marguerite looked at the dark-blue sash, em- 
broidered with flowers of red and yellow, which 
a friend had sent her from Havana, and it oc- 
curred to her with new force that Belinda was 
really going, — that this room would soon be 
actually empty. 

Oh, Belinda, I shall miss you ! Why do you 
want to go ? ’ 

Because I ought and I must ; — it is better,” 

How do you know that you will like it? ” 

I must like it ; I shall earn my living and save 
money.” 

Oh, Belinda, you have no heart, — you are so 
practical.” 

Belinda smiled a little. 

Marguerite, you will find that the practical 
people have hearts. There's my favorite St. 
Teresa. Do you remember how anxious she was 
that her pious brother should plan for the future 
welfare of his children? And St. Teresa had a 
good heart.” 

You take things so literally, Belinda. I should 
never think of bringing St. Teresa into our lives. 
You seem so cold at times.” 

Belinda sighed. 


198 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


** So cold and so good.’' 

Belinda drew her friend to the window-seat. 

“ Come, let’s talk, Marguerite. I’m a little girl 
still at heart ; if I’ve got on with your brothers, 
it’s because I’m, — inside of me, — no older than 
they are. If I’ve tried to be kind to everybody 
in this house, it’s because I learned, when I was in 
poverty and sorrow, that kindness is one of the 
greatest things in the world ; but I’m not grown- 
up at all, and I’m not good — or cold. I have 
learned that I must do some things, — that’s all ; 
and, since I became a Catholic, I have learned to 
know what Amelie Watson’s life meant. It 
meant duty ; it meant the living of her religion 
every day. It has been easy for me here. There 
has been lots to do ; I came saddened, subdued ; 
I was praised for everything I did. Now life is 
easy under these conditions ; — it has not been so 
easy for you ! ” 

Belinda reached out her hand, to take Mar- 
guerite’s. 

‘‘No!” 

There was silence. 

“ No ! ” repeated Marguerite, “ it was hard for 
me. I was very foolish, I know ; but, Belinda, 


WHAT THEY THOUGHT. 


199 


you will not mind my saying what is in my heart. 
It was hard to think that your goodness had taken 
my mother away from me.'' 

Belinda looked towards the window. She was 
tempted to make a reply that might wound her 
friend. 

I understand," she said gently, Now you 
will have her all to yourself." 

Marguerite tightly clasped Belinda's fingers, and 
made no answer. Belinda sighed. 

‘‘ I have hurt you ! " 

No, Marguerite, — no ! It hurts me to go 
away from a dear home ; but I have been too 
happy here. And I am almost afraid to go ; — 
the old reckless Belinda is still in me ; — I had 
things to do here, and I was appreciated ; I don't 
know how it will be at Mrs. Gillflory's?" 

“ Promise me, — we have always been honest 
with each other, — that you'll come back if you 
don't like it there." 

Belinda's face lighted up. 

Of course I shall ; — I haven't any other 
home." 

I think your life will be hard with my aunt. 
There must be some good in her, since she's 


200 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


papa's sister, but, after the way she treated me, I 
have no confidence in her." 

“ My business will be to obey her." 

“ Oh, Belinda, it will be an awful life." 

‘‘You're as bad as the boys ; — you are trying to 
frighten me." 

“ No, no ; — do stay ! " 

Belinda shook her head : — “ I must go ! " 

“ You're afraid yourself." 

“ Yes, I am : — I am afraid of myself. The old 
Belinda breaks out every now and then. Here I 
could model myself on Amelie ; it was easy. But, 
opposed, annoyed, scorned, there's no knowing 
what I would say or do. If you hear bad reports 
of me from Mrs. Gillflory " 

“ She wouldn't dare ! " 

Belinda laughed. 

“ You will know that I have earned them." 

Marguerite threw her arms about Belinda. 

“ Oh, Belinda, I want you to stay and I don't 
want you to stay," she said sobbing, “ I'm not 
jealous, but I must have mamma awhile all to 
myself. But next to mamma and papa, I love 
you ! Believe me ! " 

After a time the girls dried their eyes, and 
packed the second trunk. 


AN AWFUL THREAT. 


201 


XXXI. 

AN AWFUL THREAT. 

Belinda was in New York again. The mo- 
ment the salt air of the Bay struck her in crossing 
the Ferry at Twenty-fifth street, the memories of 
her last visit to the great city came upon her ; 
they were not entirely unhappy memories, but 
they were tinged with sadness. What changes 
had taken place ! Her grandmother was gone, 
her uncle gone ; — but she could pray for them ; 
she could stretch out her hands in prayer for 
them ; they did seem so far off. The sparkle of 
the water in the sunlight, a moving Cunarder and 
a big excursion boat with a booming brass band 
and the flags of all nations flying attracted her at- 
tention, and her uncle, guessing that she might be 
sad, kept up a fire of jokes that made her smile. 
The young have no right to live in the past, the 
old must ; Belinda was young, and the present 
was veritably real. She was young ; she was 


202 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


healthy ; she had a clear conscience ; and, when 
the first slight cloud lifted, she felt that there was 
nothing in the world she was afraid of except an 
offence against God. 

Her uncle took a cab at Twenty-third street, 
and when they reached Mrs. Gillflory's apartment, 
opposite Central park, it was luncheon time. 
Mrs. Gillflory descended upon them with a hun- 
dred exclamations. 

Oh, you dear, dowdy little thing, you really 
have some style, or your country clothes would 
make an awful guy of you. My dear, dear 
brother ! she added, kissing Mr. Laffan and leav- 
ing a patch of powder on his nose, ‘‘ how are they 
all? I quite adore ail my nephews and'^my niece. 
Belinda, you will like your cousins, Tm sure, — 
Claudia s a sweet girl , — Vm going to bring her out 
in January. She has gone off to luncheon with a 
swell girl from Washington, Inez Fawcett, — did 
you ever meet her? And then she and Inez are 
going to a matinee.'* Mrs. Gillflory rattled on, 
giving nobody a chance to answer. Now run 
into your room, — the passage, with the heliotrope 
portiere, leads to it, — and brush your hair. Lun- 
cheon will be ready in ten minutes, and Fve 


AN AWFUL THREAT. 203 

ordered a vol an vent of sweetbreads and salad a 
la Macedoine, just to please your uncle; I know 
just what he likes."' 

I detest sweetbreads, and I never ate a salad 
of that kind in my life,"" said Mr. Laffan, ungrate- 
fully. ‘‘ A cup of coffee and a roll is all I need."" 

‘‘How impolite! you ought to like my vol an 
vent ; — Fve a new cook. Run, Belinda ; Fve 
something very important to talk over with my 
brother! "" 

Belinda, adjured in this manner, made her way 
to a little room, in which she found a pink pin- 
cushion and several large towels marked with big 
“ B"s.’" She unpacked her brushes, and made a 
hasty toilet. 

“ Well, well,"" said Mrs. Gillflory, when Belinda 
had disappeared, “ you have grown stout."" 

Mr. Laffan laughed. “ Most people of our age 
grow stout."" 

Mrs. Gillflory sighed. 

“ I wanted to speak to you about Belinda ; 
Fve taken a great fancy to the girl."" 

It was Mr. Laffan"s turn to sigh ; he looked at 
his sister, who seemed so worldly and artificial, 
and sighed again. 


204 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘ Don’t spoil the child.” 

‘‘ I never spoiled anybody in my life.” 

Oh, you’ll pet her one minute and scold her 
the next ; — and with as much reason for one as 
the other. She’s a good little soul, — a mere child 
in heart, with plenty of self-control ; but with 
possibilities for good and evil.” 

Why, you make her out quite a monster ! ” 
said Mrs. Gillflory, tired of the subject. “ How 
doyou think that those heliotrope velvet hangings, 
fringed with silver, go with the Flemish oak in 
this drawing-room? I call it swagger.” 

^‘On my word,” said Mr. Laffan, irritably, 
you are an incomprehensible woman ; — I hope 
you’ll not talk slang in Belinda’s hearing.” 

‘‘You dear, old-fashioned person!” exclaimed 
Mrs. Gillflory, laughing in a carefully modulated 
manner. “ I used that excessively swell word 
just to shock you. You ought to come out into 
the light ; you’re a cave dweller ! Oh, by the 
way, I don’t want Belinda to fall in love with 
Arnold.” 

“ Who’s Arnold ? On my word, Mary 
Ann ” 

“That is not my name : I shall not answer you 


AN AWFUL THREAT. 205 

if you use that detestable nickname/’ said Mrs. 
Gillflory, reddening. 

‘‘ Oh, well, Henriette, — or anything you like to 
call yourself, — you exasperate me beyond en- 
durance. Here’s a nice, simple, well brought-up 
little girl ” 

“ She’s nearly as tall as you ” 

Never mind, she has no thought of beaux and 
that sort of thing. She simply wants to earn her 
living; she asks, above all, to be reasonably 
independent. Here, this simple, well-bred child 
comes to you, and you propose to put false 
ideas into her head. Who’s this Arnold ?” 

Arnold Deresby ; — he’s twenty years of age. 
He’s her cousin, you know, and a very artistic 
boy, — plays Chopin and Richard Strauss until 
I’m nearly mad ; but he would come to the Con- 
servatory, and, as their people have gone abroad, 
I just had to take them. Besides, they brace me 
up ; I’m naturally of a melancholy and thoughtful 
disposition.” 

Mr. Laffan smiled. 

Of course, ii you don’t think Belinda is 
likely ” 

‘‘-Oh, let Belinda alone ! Don’t work her too 


206 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


hard, pay her regularly, learn simplicity from her, 
and send her back to us whenever you can spare 
her,” Mr. Laffan said, with a decision which 
always silenced his sister when he chose to 
be decided. ‘‘ Now, where can I comb my 
hair? ” 

Mrs. Gillflory rang for the butler, who soon put 
Mr. Laffan in the way of refreshing himself and 
improving his temper. 

Arnold Deresby, a tall, languid-looking boy, 
with long auburn hair, a necktie with flowing 
ends, and a look of dejection came in to luncheon. 
His brown eyes brightened when Belinda came 
in, her hair tied with a fresh ribbon, and with one 
of the white chrysanthemums she had'found on 
her dressing-table in her belt. 

“ Are you musical ? ” he asked, eagerly, as soon 
as they had been introduced. “ I have always 
longed consummately fora musical cousin.” He 
drawled less than usual. Mrs. Gillflory looked 
pleased. 

“ Oh, yes, Belinda is musical; she sings the 
‘ Winter Roses,' ” said Mrs. Gillflory. 

I wrote the music for that,” said Arnold, 
eagerly; ''that is, I gave Woodward, the com- 


AN AWFUL THREAT. 207 

poser the theme, and he harmonized it. You 
must sing after luncheon.'’ 

I play little and sing less ; " Belinda spoke 
half shyly. Arnold's tone, in spite of its interest, 
was decidedly patronizing. He seemed very 
much grown up ; " she suddenly realized that 
she was only a country girl, after all. ** I used 
to sing to amuse my little cousins, — that's all." 

Belinda wondered why all the old audacity 
and energy which had made her the Belinda " 
of Bob Watson's approval had disappeared. She 
flushed ; she wished that she could be the old 
Belinda only for a moment. 

Elle est jolie^' Arnold whispered to his 
aunt. 

Thank you," Belinda said, raising her eyes, 
with a touch of her old spirit. “ I have always 
wanted a good-looking cousin who appreciates 
good looks in others." 

‘‘Nobody ever accused me of being good-look- 
ing," Arnold said, frowning and forgetting his 
drawl. 

Belinda had turned her attention to her uncle, 
who had entered, looking very fresh and much 
combed as to his hair and whiskers. Arnold 


208 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


seemed to have faded from her knowledge. The 
butler announced luncheon, and Arnold offered 
his arm to Belinda. She took it rather awkwardly, 
as she was not accustomed to this ceremony. 

Mrs. Gillflory discoursed on her dining-room, 
which was walled with gold-etched black oak. 
A great bay window, which had a double sash of 
stained glass, gave a fine view of Central Park. 

** This is very comfortable,’* said Mr. Laffan. 

I pay over six thousand a year for twelve 
rooms,” said his sister, proudly. 

Mr. Laffan dropped his fork. 

‘‘ I call that reckless waste ; — you could get a 
nice country-house for half that ! ” 

‘‘ You are such a dear, old-fashioned soul ! ” she 
said, patting him on the back. ‘‘ Try the potage 
h la Reine, — do, like an old dear.” 

I thought it was bean soup,” he said. ‘‘ I 
must say I liked the oysters ; you can’t spoil them 
with a French name.” 

Mrs. Gillflory cast up her eyes to the ceiling, 
with the air of one who is martyred. Belinda 
smiled behind her napkin ; she could not help 
thinking that, even if the boys at home had as- 
sumed this air of rusticity, her uncle would not 


AN AWFUL THREAT. 


209 


have tolerated it. After luncheon Arnold pulled 
out a gold cigarette case, studded with tur- 
quoise, — 

“ Will you smoke, Belinda ? '' he asked patro- 
nizingly. 

Belinda laughed. 

‘‘ Not so early, cousin,’' she said. 

“ Girls in New York smoke earlier than this 
very often. Will you smoke, Uncle ? ” 

Mr. Laffan’s eyes twinkled*; he pulled from 
the inside pocket of his coat two corncob pipes. 
There was a twinkle in his eye. 

Belinda, when she smokes, always uses one of 
these. I smoke one every day after dinner.” 

Oh, horror ! ” cried Mrs. Gillflory. You 
don’t mean to smoke one of those horrible 
things now ! I am shocked ! ” 

A cigarette is just as bad as a corncob pipe, 
Aunt ; ” Belinda spoke, with eyes cast down and a 
twinkle in her eyes. ‘‘ But, if you want me to 
smoke, I hope you’ll let me have the corn-cob. 
We’re more advanced in the country, cigarettes 
are not strong enough for us.” 

Mr. Laffan suppressed her only by putting the 

pipe-stem between her lips. 

14 


210 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Arnold looked at Belinda in horror. What 
might this golden-haired, rose-colored girl, who 
seemed so simple, do next ? 

Oh, horrors, aunt ! ’’ he whispered. 

Oh, horrors ! responded his aunt. ** My 
curtains will be ruined with the smell of that 
horrid pipe ! 

Tm trying to drive away the odor of the 
cigarettes,** Mr. Laffan said, placidly. Arnold 
excused himself, and left the room. 

‘‘ Now, Mary Ann,** said Mr. Laffan, turning 
to his sister, with firmness, if you let that 
queer young puppy annoy Belinda with his 
idiotic airs, 1*11 address all your letters to ‘ Mary 
Ann Gillflory ! * ** 


. \ 


A CLIMAX. 


211 


XXXII. ; 

A CLIMAX. 

If Mr. Laffan had wanted to put Belinda in 
good spirits, he could not have done better than 
to make his awful threat. After luncheon Mrs. 
Gillflory went into her room for her usual after- 
noon ‘‘ beauty sleep,’' as she called it. Belinda 
laughed so much, as she bade her uncle good-bye, 
that she could not cry. She forgot tears as she 
thought of her uncle’s solemnly smoking the 
corncob pipe. Mrs. Gillflory told Belinda to be 
ready for a drive at four o’clock, and, as her 
trunks had come, — Mrs. Gillflory adjured her to 
call them ‘‘ boxes,” — Belinda was occupied in 
arranging her belongings until a tinkle from the 
silver clock on the Mexican onyx chimney-piece 
called her attention to the fact that it was half- 
past three.. 

She had been thinking busily. She might 
see^ Father Belford very often now, and the 


212 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Pembrokes. She had not seen her other New 
York friends since her grandmother’s death. 
She laughed aloud again, as a vision of Essie 
Wiedmeist as a young lady ” appeared before 
her. And where were the Leos? She resolved to 
hunt them all up as soon as she could. 

I shall do my work well, save every cent,” she 
thought, “ and, if when I have some money, Fred 
is still well. I’ll send for Amelie, buy the old 
house on Capitol Hill, and live there forever 
after.” 

Central Park was spangled with the golden 
leaves of late autumn, and the sun shone in a 
blue sky. 

Hope ! ” everything whispered. Belinda had 
just hung up Sister Clement’s beautiful little 
water-color of Our Lady of Victory.” Hope ! ” 
the madonna whispered ; and again Belinda, facing 
a new world, laughed. Mrs. Gillflory had thought- 
fully hung a white enamelled panel, marked 
“ engagements,” beside Belinda’s dressing-table. 
On it Belinda wrote, — To finish a letter to 
Amelie, asking her whether she is really to be- 
come a nun.” 

‘‘ The first name I have written on my little 


A CLIMAX. 


213 


white slate is Amalie's/' she said to herself, ‘‘ the 
very first ! That ought to be a good omen ! 

At the stroke of four, she entered Mrs. Gill- 
flory’s drawing-room. 

Well, well,’' said that lady, as she came in 
herself, just ten minutes afterwards, “I am 
agreeably surprised. You are actually on time ! 
Everybody keeps me waiting, so I’m always late 
myself now! We’ll get on if you’ll only always 
be punctual. People who keep their engage- 
ments exactly always get on ! ” 

A turn in the Park, and then a drive down to 
the Waldorf-Astoria, where they had tea with two 
of her aunt’s western friends, made the extent of 
their little tour. 

I suppose, as usual, you can’t write a note 
in French,” said Mrs. Gillflory, as they went 
homeward. ‘‘ Convent girls don’t do anything 
thoroughly; but I wish you could, for the Vicom- 
tesse De Vrebriand, — she used to be Mary Wilson, 
of Cleveland, but she’s married a Frenchman, — 
asks me to something in French, and I can’t 
make out what it is. At tea, that odious Mrs. 
Sampson, who has had a note, too, seemed to 
understand it, but I don’t believe she did.” 


214 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Yoii are very hard on the convents, Aunt ! '* 
Belinda spoke very decidedly. I write French 
w^ell because the Sisters insisted on it, and Fll 
write your note.’' 

Oh, indeed, if you’re going to contradict me 
in that way, you’d better declare yourself a 
friend, such as Claudia is, and not a paid secre- 
tary at all ! ” answered Mrs. Gillflory. 

“Very well,” said Belinda, flushing. She was 
silent; then tears of outraged feeling came into 
her eyes, and her temper rose. “Very well; I 
will be only a paid companion since you forget 
that I am a poor relation. I have told you the 
simple truth. I shall contradict you. Aunt, every 
time I have to tell you the simple truth when 
you don’t know it. If you want me to do any- 
thing else, we had better part at once.” 

“What? And leave all this luxury?” cried 
Mrs. Gillflory, in amazement. “ When I ask a 
young person to share all my luxuries, I — ” 
Mrs. Gillflory looked at Belinda’s threatening 
face, and hesitated. “ I expect, — I expect, mind, 
—I expect her to let me say what I please on all 
occasions.” 

“ I am not like — Claudia,” said Belinda ; sit- 


A CLIMAX. 


215 


ting very straight. “ I know Claudia, though 
Arnold was in Paris when I was with the Deres- 
bys. I am not like Claudia.'' 

'' I don't say that I'd speak so brusquely to 
Claudia," said Mrs. Gillflory. 

“ Why, — she's your niece as well as I." 

But, my dear," answered Mrs. Gillflory, 
with the air of one teaching a lesson almost too 
evident, she’s rich ; — you can't be expected to 
be treated as if you were rich." 

Two red spots fixed themselves in Belinda's 
cheeks. 

I know that I am only a distant relative ; but 
Claudia's no nearer, and you asked me to call 
you aunt ; — do you mean that I am presumptuous 
in doing so, Mrs. Gillflory ? " asked Belinda, her 
eyes flashing. ‘‘ I suppose I ought not to talk 
this way, — Tm only a girl, I know ; but I tell you 
that I will be one thing or the other, — either 
your relative or your paid secretary." 

The carriage had stopped before a confec- 
tioners. 

Home, John ! " Mrs. Gillflower said. Then, 
turning to Belinda, who still sat very erect, she 
added, plaintively, — I intended to buy a pound 


216 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


oimarrons glaceSy but I vjoWtnow ; you don't de- 
serve them, for you've taken away my appetite." 

No word was spoken until the two reached the 
elevator. 

“ I hope you'll dress for dinner," Mrs. Gill- 
flory said, “ Claudia always does." 

“ I am not Claudia, — please remember," Be- 
linda said, entering her room at once. 

Everything in that room was changed. The 
groups of imitation candles, — which were really 
gas jets, — on either side of her dressing-table, 
seemed mockeries to her ; and a little while ago 
she had thought them so pretty. Hope? The 
chrysanthemums, which had so pleased her as 
evidences of Mrs. Gillflory's friendliness, seemed 
to be cold and unkind. Hope? Where was the 
hope so high in her heart a few hours before ? 

Had she done wrong? Ought she have re- 
mained silent? How easy it had been to be 
gentle, she thought, at Mrs. Laffan's ! She put 
on her plainest white frock, pulled down her 

Pompadour," and smoothed her hair on either 
side of her brow. She would act as a poor rela- 
tion should act ; but if Claudia Deresby were in- 
solent, she would give the insolence back. As 


A CLIMAX. 217 

to Arnold, she would certainly keep him in his 
place. 

Belinda, looking very demure, went into the 
dining-room and assisted the butler to arrange the 
flowers, which, to-night, were mignonette and La 
France roses. The butler thanked her. 

“ They do need a woman's 'and. Miss," he 
said. ‘‘ There ain't no man as flowers take to, — 
no bloomin' man. Miss. They fix themselves to 
suit the lydies, — they do ! " 

Belinda forgot her grievance for a few mo- 
ments, and perhaps it would not have occurred 
to her again for some time, had not Claudia, who 
was just a little older than herself, entered, very 
superbly dressed in pink silk and chiffon, with 
a pearl necklace. Claudia kissed her on both 
cheeks. 

Why, Belinda," she said, ‘‘ you've positively 
gone off. Have you been ill ? You look so sim- 
ple and young. You ought to wear a train, — 
you really ought ; I'm not out yet, and I wear a 
train. Cousin Clarice Gillflory writes from Lon- 
don that long frocks are much the fashion. 
Have you seen Clarice’s letter. Aunt ? " 

Oh, yes," said Mrs, Gillflory, looking very 


218 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


much annoyed, “ you showed me my daughter’s 
letter yesterday. I wish she’d write oftener to 
7ne, Belinda, what have you been doing to your- 
self?” 

‘‘ Dressing for the part, Mrs. Gillflory ? ” 

‘‘Don’t Mrs. Gillflory me?” 

“ Very well, Aunt.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

“I mean that I am a poor relation, — a paid 
companion, — that’s all, — and I have been put in 
my place. J'y suis.fy reste. We do learn French 
at the convents.” 

“ But not wait Belinda, till I can see you 

alone ! ” whispered Mrs. Gillflory, her face white. 
“ Wait ! Now go at once and put on your best 
frock before the Vicomte and Vicomtesse de 
Vrebriand come. I command you ! ” 

“ The paid companion obeys ! ” answered Be- 
linda, with her best courtesy, as she left the room. 

Claudia looked at her aunt in amazement. 

“ Belinda used to be so different,” she said. 
“ Even when we all thought her rich she was just 
as sweet and easy to get on with. But now ! — 
and we thought that she was going to turn out to 
be very pretty. What is the matter?” 


A CLIMAX. 


219 


‘‘Nothing: only Fm a fool, — a good-hearted 
fool! '' said Mrs. Gillflory, on the verge of tears. 
“ Fm always doing kind-hearted things and suffer- 
ing for them.'' Mrs. Gillflory went over to the 
mirror and fastened a feather on the arm-band 
of her low-cut mauve gown. “Is my aigrette 
straight ? And don't you think my color is too 
high ? No? Fm all heart. I have allowed that 
girl to call me ‘ aunt,' and asked her here, and 
before she's been here a day she contradicts me, 
and assumes this air of a persecuted dependent." 

“ Oh, don't mind ! " said Claudia, who was good- 
natured when there was no question of rivalry. 
“She'll be useful. You know 1 can't do any- 
thing, — but she can." 

Claudia looked older than she was. In fact, in 
her low-cut gown, with its train, she seemed very 
much of a woman ; she was tall ; her hair was 
abundant and auburn, like her brother's ; her 
brown eyes seemed to denote more energy and 
decision than his ; she was very graceful, but arti- 
ficially graceful. A slight air of discontent in her 
face, which deepened occasionally, really spoiled 
it. 

Belinda returned, in her best blue organdie and 


220 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


a little turquoise necklace. Monsieur and Madame 
de Vrebriand were announced, accompanied by a 
young nephew of about Belinda's age, and, after 
Arnold had kept them waiting ten minutes, dinner 
began. 

Belinda suddenly became very shy. A dinner 
party may be very pleasant to ‘‘ grown-ups," and 
yet utterly hateful to young people. She allowed 
the butler to fill alhher glasses. 

I believe she drinks, as well as smokes corncob 
pipes," muttered Mrs. Gillflory, wrathfully. ‘‘ Does 
she know that a girl not ‘ out ' ought not to 
have the glasses beside her plate filled ? " 

This was intended for Claudia’s ear ; but Belinda 
• heard it. 

“ Very well," Belinda thought, her face flushing, 
her shyness all gone. It is war, then, — well, 
Mrs. Gillflory, you will be sorry." 

Still, she felt that she was out of the convent. 
Everybody else at the table had so much to talk 
about. The horse show, the evening operas, the 
Vicomte’s automobile, the Vicomtesse’s dance. 
Belinda sat silent, angry and awkward ; — she was 
only a girl, — only a poor, dependent girl, — and 
even Claudia was making her feel it. The truth 


A CLIMAX. 


221 


is, that they were impolite enough not to think 
of her at all. An episode in Amelie's life, — one 
that Amelie bitterly regretted, came to her mind. 
She recalled the story of Amelie’s showing off’' 
at the Watsons’. Very well ; — she, the poor, ne- 
glected girl would teach these women and that 
insolent girl a lesson. 

Rene de Vrebriand, pink-cheeked, respectful, a 
real French boy, sat next to Claudia. He spoke 
English with difficulty. He had left his college 
in France for a short tour in America, as he had 
been ill. 

Belinda spoke to him across the table, and asked 
him how he liked French schools. He was all 
vivacity at once. 

The Vicomte turned his white head, and smiled 
at Belinda. 

‘^Your French is Parisian, mademoiselle,” he 
said. 

‘‘You are very kind, monsieur,” answered Be- 
linda, doing her best. 

The current changed. The Vicomte, Rene 
and the Vicomtesse forgot their good manners, 
and left Mrs. Gillflory and Claudia to Arnold, 
who could not keep up with the rapid talk. 


222 


BELINDA’S COUSINS, 


‘'What is it, Mrs. Gillflory ? *’ asked Belinda, 
innocently, as the guests departed. 

“ Don’t ask me ? Don’t — I could shake you ! 
Don’t 'Mrs. Gillflory’ me?” 

"Shall I call you 'Mary Ann ?’” Belinda 
asked ; then she went to her room. 


THOSE AWFUL W^ORDS. 


223 


XXXIII. 

THOSE AWFUL WORDS. 

Belinda sat looking out at the moonlit Park, 
expecting Mrs. Gillflory to knock and demand an 
apology. What right had Mrs. Gillflory to be 
ashamed of her name ? “ Mary Ann '' was not a 

bad name, and it was absurd for her not to like 
it ; but all Belinda’s indignation could not blind 
her to the truth, — she had been disrespectful and 
even impertinent. She covered her face with her 
hands, as she thought of what Sister Clement, 
Amelie, or Mrs. Laffan, — who regarded her as a 
paragon, — would say of her conduct. She made 
no excuse for herself ; to-morrow she would apol- 
ogize — how she hated the thought of that ! — pack 
her trunks and go. Where? Not back to the 
Laffans, but out into the worlds to seek her for- 
tune. What could she do ? Belinda sat in the 
moonlight, summing up her stock of knowledge 
by which she could earn money. 


224 : 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


She could play accurately ; but it would take 
years to make her a good teacher ; and she knew 
that people nowadays insist on a very high 
standard of piano-playing. She could sing a little. 
She could read French well and write it fairly. 
Her speaking vocabulary was small, but for two 
years French had been the language of the school, 
— except on feast days, — and she was fluent ; her 
accent, too, was admirable. This was all. No ; 
she could use the typewriter somewhat, and — yes ! 
— she could dance ! 

She knew that, with the sum of her accomplish- 
ments exhibited in the best light, it would not 
bring sixty dollars a month and board. She 
was practical enough to see this. While she cata- 
logued her possibilities, she had been absently 
combing her long hair, and, turning for a moment, 
she caught sight of her face in the dressing-glass. 
Her eyes looked hollow in the moonlight ; there 
were dark shades under them, and her hair fell in 
‘‘ mysterious masses,*’ as she said to herself, from 
her brow.” She would be an actress ! She re- 
called ‘‘Le Miracle des Roses” and that her 
teacher, Mrs. Jacques, — the “ogress” of those 
wild days, — had not been dissatisfied ; and she re- 


THOSE AWFUL WORDS. 


225 


membered, too, that though Bob Watson had 
laughed, and called her recitations “ The Blood- 
drinker’s Revenge,” he had admitted that her 
“ To be or not to Be ” was great.” At the con- 
vent, she always had the principal part, and her 
Esther,” in Racine’s traged3^ which she had 
played in a golden crown and a red shawl, royally 
draped, trimmed with cotton. The cotton was 
dotted over with little ink spots, to represent the 
black in ermine fur. Oh, she could go on the stage ! 

After all, this determination did not still the 
voice of her conscience. She had been unlady- 
like, — even impudent, — to Mrs. Gillflory. There 
was no excuse for it. Only a few days before 
this, she would not have believed that she could 
be capable of such conduct ; — she was so sure of 
herself when she came to Mrs. Gillflory. 

I will apologize — and go ! ” she said, as she 
rose from her knees, because I am poor, I sup- 
pose I must endure everything!" 

She nerved herself the next morning, and en- 
tered the breakfast-room before anybody else 
had gone in. Mrs. Gillflory came a few minutes 
afterwards, to preside,” as she said, “ at the 

urn.” 

15 


226 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Only good families keep up the tradition of 
the urn at breakfast/* she said, as she entered, 
attired in a pale, blue kimona. The Gillflory 
coat of arms, quartered with mine, are on the lid. 

See What*s the matter? You look pale this 

morning. You talked too much at dinner last 
night, — entirely too much for so young a girl ; to 
be sure, the Vicomte said that your accent is 
good, and the Vicomtesse asked me to take you 
to see her, — but you really ought not have mo- 
nopolized the conversation. It wasn’t bien ^levie^ 
you know.” 

I know,” said Belinda, with her eyes cast 
down and tears in her voice, I know, — and I am 
sorry, — oh, truly sorry, — for what I said. I de- 
serve everything ” Belinda broke down, and 

could not finish her sentence. 

Why, my child ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Gillflory, 
holding a half-filled cup in the air. What do 
you mean ? I hope you don’t think I’m a wretch ! 
I didn’t mean to be so severe. You know I’m 
accustomed to people who never show feeling. 
My daughter, Clarice, thought — that it was bad 
form ; Claudia is about the same. I must say I 
do like people who have heart. I’m ^// heart.” 


THOSE AWFUL WORDS. 


227 


‘‘ But I was so rude, so vulgar, so disrespectful ! 
said Belinda, raising her tear-filled eyes. 

Mrs. Gillflory looked at Belinda in amazement ; 
then she crossed over and kissed her on both 
cheeks. 

Don't worry. I suppose you were angry be- 
cause I gently reprimanded you for talking so 
much and monopolizing the guests ;--but, after 
all, you can't help it, if you speak^ French so 
well ! " 

It was evident that Mrs. Gillflory had missed 
the direful import of her mocking words. She 
took heart, with a little prayer of thanksgiv- 
ing! 

‘‘ I am not fit for society," she said. I'm only 
a girl, and I'm sure to do and say the wrong 
thing. Oh, just let me stay with you and don't 
ask me in when you have dinner parties." 

I can't until you have some suitable dinner 
gowns," Mrs. Gillflory said, thoughtfully. But 
you'll do. I am quite pleased that you have so 
much feeling. I'll take you to the dressmaker's 
to-day — this very morning. There are some notes 
to write. You'll find them on my desk. Don't 
forget to spell Miss Granger's name ‘‘ Mae " in 


228 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


acknowledging the flowers. She’ll never speak 
to me, if you don’t. And remind the ‘ Social 
Register’ people that they have spelt my name 
with one ‘ 1.’ If you want to know anything else, 
you’ll find me in the drawing-room. Claudia 
takes her breakfast in bed, and Arnold does not 
get up until ten o’clock. He is a genius, you 
know. Good-bye. Richards,” to the butler, 
bring me the newspapers ! ” 


MRS. GOLDSTROM. 


229 


XXXIV. 

MRS. GOLDSTROM. 

Belinda found Mrs. Gillflory’s desk in great 
confusion ; but she found at last at least a dozen 
notes and letters which needed to be answered. 
Mrs Gillflory had sketched the kind of answer 
she wanted on the margin of each ; there was a 
luxury of stationery. There were white, mauve, 
heliotrope, pale yellow, monogramed, crested and 
one-lettered sheets of all sizes. Belinda, following 
her own taste, chose some heavy white paper, 
and did her best to write appropriate answers, in- 
cluding the French note to Madame Vrebriand. 
This last gave her some trouble, as she could not 
find a French dictionary, and she guessed that 
Mrs. Gillflory, deep in her newspapers, did not 
want to be disturbed. 

When she had finished the work and had be- 
gun to set Mrs. Gillflory's desk to rights, Arnold 
lounged in. 


230 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


“ Glad to see you,” he said yawning. “ I got up 
early this morning just to have a talk with you.” 

“ Thank you,” Belinda said, not liking his man- 
ner at all ; he might be a genius, but if geniuses 
yawned in your face, she hoped that she might 
not meet another genius ! 

Good morning,” she said, coolly. 

The old girl's in the drawing-room, I suppose. 
I hate these beastly flats, — there's no room for 
anybody. You've grown, Claudia tells me, since 
she saw you last.” 

Belinda seemed busily engaged in sorting the 
sticks of ceiling wax. She finished making a list 
of what the desk contained, and was about to 
shut down the lid when an oblong piece of blue 
paper fell to the floor. It was a cheque made 
out by Mrs. Gillflory to her florist. Belinda had 
forgotten to inclose it ; luckily, she had not sealed 
the note, so that it was easy to remedy the mis- 
take. 

“ So the old girl will let you handle cheques, 
too? Good, old girl!” said Arnold. ‘‘I wish 
she'd trust me so far.” 

Belinda was silent. 

Arnold rolled a cigarette, and began to smoke. 


MRS. GOLDSTROM. 231 

** I must ask you not to do that/* she said 
quietly. My aunt would not like it.** 

“ The old girl lets me do as I please,** said 
Arnold, in an injured tone. “Good, old girl!** 

“ I am not a good old girl ! And Td be obliged 
if you*d speak of Mrs. Gillflory properly in my 
presence,** said Belinda, her head high in the air. 
Arnold took his cigarette from his mouth. 

“ Nobody talks that way to me,*' he said, 
plaintively. “ It disturbs me. I was just about 
to play for you a little fantasia I composed this 
morning.** 

“ It*s too early for music,** answered Belinda. 

“ If you haven*t had your breakfast ** 

“Oh, I take ‘merely some coffee in the morn- 
ing, after the European fashion. American ways 
are great bores, don*t you know.** 

“ You*ve been so long abroad ! ** said Belinda 
smiling. 

“ Don*t quote f/iat to Mrs. Gillflory, or there*ll 
be a row. You know there*s an old play, ‘The 
Mighty Dollar,* and there*s a Mrs. Gillflory in 
it, who is always saying, ‘ Tve been so long 
abroad ! * My aunt will be down on you if you 
quote that. I think 1*11 tell her! ’* 


232 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Do ^geniuses’ always tell things?’' asked 
Belinda innocently. 

Arnold colored. 

What do you mean ? People do call me a 

genius, but that’s no reason why ” 

“ People are wrong,” said Belinda, decidedly. 
A man can’t be a genius unless he works. Peo- 
ple think, — that is, people who don’t know, — that 
I speak French well I don’t. I 7iever use the 
subjunctive mood, but I am going to work hard 
until I do speak it well,” added Belinda, decidedly. 

But people of genius don’t have to work,” 
said Arnold, piqued. This little fantasia came 
into my head this morning. I intend to call it 
Tears in the Snow.’ Let me whistle it.” 
Belinda put on an air of resignation, and Ar- 
nold whistled very softly. 

Isn’t it convincing? ” he asked triumphantly. 
‘‘ I suppose you want me to tell you the truth ? ” 
‘‘ Artists always want to know the truth,” he 
answered, smiling. He was ready to hear the 
usual compliments. 

^‘Well,” Belinda said, “I can’t say what it 
would be if it were harmonized ; but it opened 
like Schubert’s ^ Serenade,’ took a dip into Men- 


MRS. GOLDSTROM. 233 

delssohn’s ^ Consolation ' and ended like Sousa's 
^ Jack Tar.' " 

Arnold rose, red and angry. 

It's not true," he said. 

Belinda locked the desk. 

Artists," she said, ‘‘ like the truth. I suppose 
that, if I were a young lady, and you a young 
gentleman. I'd leave the room after that speech ; 
but, as you’re only a boy. I’ll take no offence, — 
boys, I suppose, often talk that way, — and show 
you that I am telling you the truth." She pursed 
up her lips. ‘‘^I can whistle, too. Now, — here 
goes your fantasia ! " 

Arnold, frowning listened ; his frown deepened, 
as he recognized that Belinda had actually caught 
the fantasia. 

‘‘ Now," she said, listen to the first ten bars. 
Schubert’s repetitions, you must see that. Now, 
we change. La ! — la ! — la ! I whistle again. 
Mendelsohn's * Consolation ! ' Now ! — march time ! 
Susa ! " 

‘‘ I am ashamed of you, Belinda Murray ! " said 
Mrs. Gillflory, who had lifted the portiere. ‘‘ I 
am ashamed ! Arnold, I wonder that you 
would encourage a girl to whistle." 


234 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘ I didn't encourage her/’ muttered Arnold, 
sulkily. She’s no special friend of mine. She’s 
been saying the rudest things about mey 

‘‘ Geniuses tell, no doubt,” said Belinda. “ Gen- 
tlemen don’t. I am glad I know only one genius.” 

Arnold flung himself out of the room. 

“ What does this mean ?” asked Mrs. Gillflory, 
mollified by the sight of the little pile of notes. 

“ Oh, among other things. Cousin Arnold 
wanted to smoke, and I wouldn’t let him.” 

“You mustn’t be so rigid. If a man wants to 
smoke ” 

“ He ought to ask permission.” 

Mrs. Gillflory laughed. 

“You are a spitfire. I’m half afraid of you. 
If you want to try over a musical piece with Ar- 
nold, go in to the piano. Don’t whistle, — only 
tomboys and girls that have to earn their living 
in that way whistle. I’m glad you gave Arnold 
a lesson. His people spoil him because they 
think that he’s a genius. I’m sure I don’t know 
whether he is or not, — but he likes to have his 
own way. The notes are ready ? ” 

“ I’ve sealed only two, — the purely business 
letters,” said Belinda, anxiously. 


MRS, GOLDSTROM. 


235 


You have used the plain white paper, with the 
single gold letter,’* said Mrs. Gillflory, a trifle dis- 
appointed. 

‘‘Yes; I knew that you did not want to use a 
crest. Women have no right to use a crest.” 

“ Where did you learn that ? ” asked Mrs. Gill- 
flory, much amused. 

“ In one of uncle’s books on Heraldry,” said 
Belinda. 

“ I’m glad to know that,” Mrs. Gillflory said, 
chuckling. “ I’ll swoop down on a lot of people 
who use crests continually. They’re too common 
anyhow, here in New York. — Yes, these notes are 
well-expressed. You’re a jewel, my dear. Now, 
we’ll go to to the dressmaker’s.” 

Belinda, pleased with herself, went off to get 
her hat. Mrs. Gillflory decided, after much dis- 
cussion, to go down in the street car. It was too 
early for her horses, and somebody had told her 
that cabs were full of scarlet fever germs. 

She looked at Belinda approvingly. 

“ You are straight and you walk well. I was 
very like you at your age ; — don’t forget to call 
me aunt.” 

Belinda, accustomed so long to the country, 


236 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


was amused by the persons of such various types 
in the car. At the same time, she was frightened 
by the manner of the progress down Broadway. 
At every second moment, seemingly, their car 
was threatened by a big van or some loaded 
vehicle. 

It’s bad enough,” Mrs. Gillflory said, com- 
posedly, but it’s not nearly so bad as driving. 
You don’t know when an automobile is going to 
rush into your carriage. If one goes into the 
street of New York, one takes one’s life in her 
hands. Do you like the city better than the 
country ? ” 

I feel a little homesick for the country ; but 
I like the city to work in. Of course, if I did not 
have to work, I should prefer the country.” 

A stout, good-natured, elderly Jewess, wearing 
a brown wig on which was perched a marvellously 
large black hat, sat opposite Belinda. She held 
a large basket on her knees, which occasionally 
called for her attention, especially when a fellow- 
traveller, going in or out, came in contact with it ; 
her eyes were fixed on Belinda, as she entered the 
car with her aunt. A bewildered look came over 
her face, and then her lips parted in a joyous smile. 


MRS. GOLDSTROM. 


237 


After a time Belinda caught her eye. 

“ Oh/' she said, smiling, it must be, — it is — 
Mrs. Goldstrom." 

‘‘ Ach, yes," said Mrs. Goldstrom, her face beam- 
ing. “You did not speak; — I know now that you 
are not mad with me, but have kind feelings. 
Yes ! I am so glad to see such a nice young lady, 
— so learned and clever. Ach, this \s geiniithlick ! " 

Belinda forgot her aunt and the passengers. 

“ How is everybody?" she asked. 

“ Ach, that is well. You are so kind. My 
Rachel is married ; she married rich," said Mrs. 
Goldstrom, with pride, raising her voice. “ Rosy 
Fingelstein's papa is dead, and he left Rosy the 
horse and wagon ; she is stuck-up, like a fat pig. 
Essie Weidmeist is married, but not so rich than 
my Rachel, — her husband catches rats for all the 
big warehouses down town ; — Becky Lilienblum 
was so mad with my Rachel when she married 
that she could have scratched her eyes oud, — 
Becky has a bad disposition ; but we cannot all 
marry rich. Isaac Fingelstein, — Rosy’s brother, 
'—often speaks of you. He is rich, — so rich as I 
cannot say, and he often speaks of the fine little 
lady. Ach, I have so much to tell." 


238 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


She paused a moment to extricate the lid of 
her basket from the fringe of a passing shawl. 

May I ask/’ whispered Mrs. Gillflory, icily 
gazing at Mrs. Goldstrom, as if that cheerful per- 
son were a boa constrictor, who your charming 
friend is ? ” 

Oh, dear Mrs. Goldstrom,” said Belinda, her 
eyes shining. ‘‘ She is a dear. I used to know 
her when grandmamma was here.” 

I must say,” began Mrs. Gillflory ; but Mrs. 
Goldstrom interrupted her. 

‘‘ My son is on the stage; I will send you a 
ticket. He does jig dances lofely. And I will 
send tickets to your beautiful sister, who is with 
you,” said Mrs. Goldstrom, gazing admiringly at 
Mrs. Gillflory’s rosy cheeks as seen through her 
veil. ‘‘ And maybe you will bring your beauti- 
ful sister to come to see me. Iky will be pleased ; 
he is a good boy and he earns good money. Ach, 
I must go ; I could talk all day ! ” 

Mrs. Goldstrom, smiling and talking volubly, 
finally descended from the car. 

I must say, Belinda, that you have queer 
friends ; — if that is a specimen. Do I really look 
so young? There was something really interest- 


MRS. GOLDSTROM. 239 

ing about that old woman, though she is a trifle 
vulgar.** 

Belinda was amazed. 

^ ■ Did you really believe her, Aunt ? ** 

Mrs. Gillflory looked at Belinda as if she would 
have liked to shake her ; but the car had reached 
Canal street ; it was time to get off. 


240 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XXXV. 

AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 

Belinda enjoyed the first half-hour of her visit 
to the dressmaker s. It was a pleasure to look at 
pretty things to wear ; but as the hours wore on, 
and she found herself treated as a mere block by 
Mrs. Gillfloryand the dressmaker, she wished that 
she were back again with her cousins, the Laffans. 

Tm just like a tailor’s block,” she said, as the 
dressmaker, with her mouth full of pins, pulled her 
about, ‘‘ Oh, dear, Aunt, it’s very tiresome ! ” 

‘‘ You’ll have to stand a good deal of tiresome- 
ness if you want to look well,” said the French 
dressmaker, pleasantly, II faut souffrir d' itre 
teller 

‘'Then I’ll never be ^bellel Shall I never sit 
down again ? ” 

Her pinching and basting went on for another 


AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 241 

hour, and then the modiste declared herself 
partially content. 

“On Wednesday I shall again expect made- 
moiselle,’* she said. 

Belinda made a face. 

“ Stop that, my dear,’* said Mrs. Gillflory, se- 
verely, “ you will give yourself wrinkles ! ” 

What a strange world this is, Belinda thought, 
where you are expected to think of yourself all 
the time and you can never say what you think ! 

“ We must look at hats now,” Mrs. Gillflory 
said. “ We’ll get to Fifth Avenue as soon as pos- 
sible, so as to have plenty of time before lun- 
cheon.” 

Belinda groaned in spirit. 

The Fifth Avenue establishment was on the 
ground floor of a house that had once been very 
fashionable. A number of Mrs. Gillflory’s ac- 
quaintances were there. The matter of Belinda’s 
three hats was soon arranged ; that of Mrs. Gill- 
flory’s took more time. While Belinda was wait- 
ing rather disconsolately, — and, it must be con- 
fessed, with some hope of an early luncheon, — 
Inez Foster came in. Belinda did not know her 

at first ; she seemed very much older, — an elderly 
16 


242 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


young woman, in fact, — and her long silk coat; 
ornamented with all sorts of insertion, and very 
pronounced hat helped to disguise her. 

Why, little Belinda ! '' she said, effusively. 

Dear me ! how you have grown ! You’ve come 
to live with Mrs. Gillflory. You are in luck ! She’s 
tremendously rich, and she spends her money, 
/wish she’d taken me up ; you don’t know how 
hard it is for a poor girl like me to keep up ; 
people dress so extravagantly now. I suppose 
you’ve been buying hats.” 

‘‘ Mrs. Gillflory has just bought three for me,” 
Belinda said, indifferently. Why three, I don’t 
know.” 

"‘Three hats at a time!” Inez gave a little 
shriek, “ three hats at a time from Madame Claire ! 
You are in luck! It takes nearly all my allow- 
ance to get one. If I bought two I’d have to 
clean my gloves for ten years ! How is Amelie 
Watson.” 

“ Very well. She is in France still?” 

“ And those other dreadful Watsons that lived 
on Capitol Hill ? I forget ” 

“ You forget that they are my cousins.” 

“ Oh,^’ said Inez, laughing, “ you may abuse 


AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 


243 


"my cousins as much as you like, to make things 
even. I’d like to wring some of their necks, — 
the’re so rich and stingy. If they give a girl a 
golf outfit, they think they’ve done their whole 
duty. Good-bye. I’ll take you to a matinee 
some day when I’m flush. If Mrs. Gillflory’s 
giving any particularly nice dinners, see that I 
get a card. Mother never goes out, you know ; 
she needn’t ask her.” 

Inez disappeared behind the draperies which 
veiled the most sacred part of the shop, and 
Belinda was left to think about her. She recalled 
the Rosses. What a life to lead ! — a life made up 
of dresses and parties ; — a life made up of desires 
to get somewhere because other persons were 
there, — a life of idle amusement which did not 
amuse, in which there could be no room for God. 
Belinda, as we know, was not a particularly ser- 
ious young girl ; but she was clear-sighted, and, 
like Amelie, she was trying to make religion a 
part of her life. She reflected that her life would 
not be very quiet among all these fashionable 
people. It was pleasant, though, to have such 
very pretty things, and she was watching the 
milliner put a bunch of grapes on the flat hat of 


244 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


green leaves intended for her when Inez came 
back again, discontent plainly marked on her 
face. 

There isn’t a decent thing I can buy,” she 
said, and I must pay cash, for mother will not 
let me run up bills. I’ve got twenty dollars, but 
Claire hasn’t a rag under thirty. I must have 
something distinguished, you know.” 

Thirty ! ” gasped Belinda, for a hat ! Why, 
this one I have on cost one dollar and a half, and 
I trimmed it myself.” 

It looks it, my dear,” said Inez, coldly. “ I 
should have said seventy-five cents, and that you 
had it trimmed in Division street. Why, that 
green bit over there, which your aunt is having 
made for you after the latest Paris model will not 
cost a cent under thirty, and it’s very simple. I 
don’t know what I’m to do with my poor twenty 
dollars.” 

Belinda looked into the long mirror. 

‘‘Really, Inez,” she said, indignantly, “you 
might be more polite. What’s the matter with 
my hat ? ” 

“ Everything,” said Inez. “You needn’t mind. 
You’ll have hats and gowns galore in a few weeks, 


AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 245 

and I think yoiril wear them better than that 
Claudia Deresby. Oh, I know she is your cousin ! 
— but, if you will have a lot of disagreeable 
cousins you must expect to have them abused. 
Since Clarice has gone abroad, — she was sent, my 
dear, because she wanted to marry a poor Navy 
officer 

Sent ! cried Belinda, Td think a Navy offi- 
cer ought to be good enough for any lady. Fm 
almost a Navy girl myself. Frederick, my 
brother, is at Annapolis.'' 

‘‘ Oh ! I hope he is nicer than your cousins, — 
or at least as nice as you. But a girl like Clarice 
Gillflory can't afford to marry a poor Naval officer ; 
— so they've sent her abroad. Since she's been 
away, Mrs. Gillflory can't get along without 
young people in her house. I wish she'd take 
me in, I really envy you." Inez was about to go 
when Mrs. Gillflory called her. 

‘‘ There'll be some people in for bridge whist 
to-night," Mrs. Gillflory said. “You'd better 
come about nine, Inez. I'll send a maid for you 
in a cab. How's your mother? " 

“ Not much better. Thank you, Mrs. Gill- 
flory. ril make this twenty a hundred to-night," 


246 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


she whispered to Belinda, who did notin the least 
understand. 

Mrs. Gillflory declared that she . was very- 
hungry, and, in spite of her prejudice against han- 
soms, called one, and whirled Belinda to a restau- 
rant, where luncheon to suit her was served. 
There were many ladies there. Some of them 
knew Mrs. Gillflory, and declared that they were 
tired to death, and that New York was the most 
wearisome place in the world, and they wondered 
why they lived there ! Belinda wondered, too, 
and, when she was eating a peach ice in a long 
glass, she asked Mrs. Gillflory if all these ladies 
were really tired of New York. 

Of course not,'’ said Mrs. Gillflory. ‘‘ If they 
go anywhere else they are wretched till they get 
back. I think that New York is the dearest 
place, though I like Chicago, too." 

Mrs. Gillflory had several other engagements, 
and Belinda was sent home in the cab. There 
was nobody to greet her, and she felt very lonely 
as she entered her room, flooded with afternoon 
sunshine. However, she found a picture card, 
dated Lourdes, from Amalie, and a note from 
Fred, saying that he was well and had been pro- 


AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 247 

moted. She felt more cheerful after this. A 
little later, the butler told her that there was a 
large box, sent by express, for her in the hall, 
prepaid. — The butler smiled and said he thought 
it was for her, but that, if it wasn't, or she didn't 
want it, it could be sent back. 

“ It's a dog, miss," he said, and, if it is a big 
dog, Mrs. Gillflory will send it away, anyhow." 

“ Oh, do let me see it ! " Belinda ran out into 
the hall, to meet a countryman standing over a 
box. He was attended by two hall-boys, dec- 
orated with silver buttons to the throat. 

The countryman tipped his hat. 

The Laffan boys sent this by me," he said ; 
‘‘ they told me the express company wouldn't 
take it. It's a dog." 

The box had been bored full of holes, and 
Belinda, as she examined it, caught sight of a pair 
of eyes and a mouse-colored coat. 

“ Oh, do open it ! " she asked. 

The hall-boys, full of curiosity, went to work at 
once. The lid was lifted off, and out stepped 
Morfido ! A large strip of white paper was 
pasted inside the lid of the box, and Belinda 
read, in Fred's best print, “ He’was lonesome.** 


248 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Belinda hugged Morfido, who seemed pleased. 

The ugliest dog IVe ever seen/' said one of 
the hall-boys. ‘‘ A Japanese, by cracky ! " 

“ He is just like a sausage on four sticks/' said 
the other, grinning. 

‘‘ Like a sweet potato, with four skivers in 
him," laughed the countryman. I never seed 
his like before ! " 

“ He's a bloomin' ugly cur, miss," said the 
butler, grinning. And I’m afraid the mistress 
will make short work of him when she comes. 
She has no use for dawgs unless they are King 
Charles. I’d sent it back, miss, if I may be 
allowed to suggest, miss." 

‘‘ I can’t send it back," said Belinda, in distress. 
“Two of the best friends I have in the world 
sent it, — two kind little boys. It is the most 
valuable thing they have, and they thought I’d 
be lonely without Morfido." 

“ Without what ? " asked one of the hall-boys, 
interested. “ Say that again, miss." 

“ Morfido." 

“ Rum name," said the butler. 

Morfido stretched his legs, looked about, and 
nestled close to Belinda. 


AN OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP. 249 

‘‘ rd like to have him. How much do you 
want for him?*’ asked the second hall-boy, who 
grinned every time he looked at Morfido. 

'' I couldn’t sell him,” answered Belinda. 

He’s a gift ; but,” she said, brightening, if my 
aunt will not let me keep him, perhaps you’ll take 
care of him for awhile.” 

Done ! ” said the hall-boy. 

The countryman declared that the boys had 
paid him, and took his leave. Morfido was taken 
off to the kitchen, to be fed. Belinda heard 
peals of laughter coming from that region, and 
she guessed that friendship’s offering was ex- 
citing amusement. However, as Morfido’s good 
opinion of himself was well grounded, and the 
boys would never know, she was not deeply 
concerned. 

The butler asked her respectfully about arrang- 
ing the flowers, — which had just arrived, — for din- 
ner. She found herself pleasantly occupied until 
her aunt arrived. 

Mrs. Gillflory approved of the floral arrange- 
ments and looked over her letters. 

Belinda,” she said, I’m pleased with you. 
You don’t want to be told to do things. Most 


250 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


persons do. Nothing is ever done until one tells 
them to do it. They run, and ** 

Mrs. Gillflory paused, uttered a shriek, and 
jumped upon one of the dining-room chairs. 

“Run, Belinda, run! Call the police! -Turn 
the horrible monster out ! she screamed. 

“ It’s only Morhdo, Aunt,” said Belinda, seizing 
the dog, which had quietly taken advantage of an 
opportunity to explore. 

“ Only — what ? Take the horror cried 

Mrs. Gillflory. 

Morfido was not pretty, it is true, but Belinda 
was indignant at these insults. Mrs. Gillflory 
would not descend to earth until he was taken 
away by the butler. 

“ ril have the vile thing killed to-morrow,” 
she said, “ present or no present ! ” 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 


251 


XXXVL 

BELINDA AND INEZ. 

Mrs. Gillflory was astonished when she 
found that Belinda did not play bridge.'' She 
thought that everybody played bridge," but 
what could be expected from a girl brought up 
in the Western woods under her brother's old- 
fashioned system. 

You'll have to learn, Belinda, or you’ll be out 
of everything ; but you must not, with your in- 
come, play high." 

‘‘ You don't mean that you play for money, 
Aunt ! " cried Belinda, shocked. 

You are certainly a convent girl, — you really 
make me lose patience! For what else should 
we play? You are certainly a country mouse. 
There are girls no older than you in society who 
make all their pin money at bridge." 

Belinda was aghast. 


252 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


It doesn’t seem respectable, Aunt ; I would 
never play for money.” 

Oh, nonsense. You can go to your room 
after dinner ; I don’t want you to appear much 
until you are better dressed ; — so this evening you 
can do as you please. Everybody, — that is, all my 
servants, — will be occupied, or I should send a 
maid to the theatre with you. But I can ring 
for a messenger boy ; he’ll take you and bring you 
back.” 

Belinda was tempted by the prospect of the 
theatre. 

“ I’d like to see something of Shakspere’s.” 

‘‘You’ll have to wait, then. I see that your 
taste is somewhat behind the times ; but it’s 
good. I’m fond of Shakspere myself in mod- 
eration. Well, do as you please.” 

At dinner, Arnold was rather sulky ; he glared 
at Belinda several times with unconcealed disap- 
proval. 

“ Herr Schickel, the piano virtuoso, heard me 
play at the Conservatory. He said that he was 
much impressed.” 

Mrs. Gillflory said,— 

“Indeed?” 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 


253 


And Claudia added, — 

‘‘ How nice ! 

Belinda was silent. 

‘‘ I gave him a theme for a rhapsodie AmMcainej 
founded on negro melodies.’* 

How generous ! ” Mrs. Gillflory said ; but you 
ought not to give your ideas away, — you ought 
to keep them for the future.” 

“ I’m not afraid of the future,” said Arnold. ‘‘ I 
shall never want musical ideas.” 

You have a great future, Arnold, I’m sure,” 
said Claudia, and papa is willing to spend any 
amount of money on it. Papa will do anything 
for Arnold ; — I wish I were a genius.” 

Arnold cast a triumphant glance at Belinda, 

Do you play ? ” asked Claudia, turning to 
Belinda. 

“A little.” 

Convent girls always play a little^' said 
Arnold with a sneer. 

“ Convent girls,” retorted Belinda, do not bor- 
row other people’s musical ideas. They don’t 
attempt more than they can do.” 

“ Indeed ! ” said Claudia, her eyes flashing, I 
am glad to hear it ; — but what do you mean? ” 


254 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


“ Just what I say/’ answered Belinda ; and then 
she was struck with compunction. Oh, Aunt ! ” 
she said, I hope you don’t think I am rude, do 
you ? ” 

“Not at all,” said Mrs. Gillflory, calmly. “I 
think that Arnold was rude. You have a right to 
defend your schools. I would not have much re- 
spect for you if you didn’t take the right. If 
Arnold is a genius, he ought to act like a gentle- 
man.” 

“ But there is an insinuation in what Belinda 
said.” Claudia was always willing to take sides 
with her brother against an alien, no matter how 
much she might differ from him. “ There is ! She 
means to say that all Arnold’s music is not 
original.” 

“ I mean that Arnold should wait until he is 
older, — his business ought to be to learn the 
theory of music well, and to practise continu- 
ally.” 

Arnold laughed. 

“ Thank you ! ” he said, “ you know^ of course.” 

“ I believe that it is good advice,” said Mrs. 
Gillflory, “ and I must say that Arnold’s last two- 
step was amazingly like * General Grant’s Grand 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 255 

March,’ which I used to play when I was a 
girl.” 

Belinda left the table feeling very uncomfort- 
able. She could not live in this atmosphere of 
bickering and contention. And yet she must be 
in some way to blame. Perhaps it would be well 
for her to be quiet, except when she had pleasant 
things to say ; — but she must defend herself some- 
times. She found relief by going to the kitchen 
to see Morfido. He had already made a place for 
himself with the servants, who found his airs of 
proprietorship very amusing. The cook, who 
usually objected to dogs, had been attracted by 
some of Morfido’s winning ways, and when Be- 
linda entered, she begged her to find some way of 
inducing Mrs. Gillflory to keep this ugly but fas- 
cinating animal. 

Sure, I’ll let him sleep on the ru^ by the 
kitchen fire all night ; and, if the poor dear wants 
anything the butler can get it for him.” The 
cook and the maids slept in another part of the 
apartment house ; the butler had a room near the 
kitchen. The butler roared with laughter at the 
suggestion ; but the cook, who had taken a fancy 
to Morfido, insisted, in spite of the message that 


256 


BEIJNDA’S COUSINS. 


was brought to her from Mrs. Gillflory, just after 
dinner, — ‘‘ I want that beast turned out the first 
thing in the morning/' 

Belinda was further depressed by this message, 
but she resolved to dress Morfido in cherry- 
colored ribbons, — gifts from Marguerite, — in time 
for breakfast. Morfido, with cherry-colored bows, 
had been considered irresistible at the Laffans' ; 
and, as she had discovered that Mrs. Gillflory was 
in a good humor in the morning, she determined 
to try the effect of Morfido in all his splendor. 

She could hear voices in the drawing-room, and 
she knew that the game of “ bridge " was pro- 
gressing. She lost herself in a volume of history. 
There was a chapter on the captivity of the fam- 
ily of Louis XVI. in the Temple, and she read it 
with interest and horror. The story of the devo- 
tion and courage of the little French princess, — 
the daughter of Marie Antoinette, — told with such 
simplicity by the young girl herself, made her for- 
get everything. She could see the royal family 
in the gloomy temple, which had been the resi- 
dence of the King's brother. She could see Louis 
XVI., the Queen, the princess Elizabeth, the 
prince-ss Royal, and the little Louisj at dinner. 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 257 

She could hear the terrible cries of the mob out- 
side, who were carrying the golden-haired head of 
Madame de Lamballe on a pike, to show it to 
the Queen. She saw the honest guard close the 
doors and pull down the shades of the windows 
for fear that the Queen should behold the heart- 
rending sight. And then, when the Queen knew 
the truth, — that this dear friend, who had come 
. back to Paris for her had been so barbarously mur- 
dered, — she could only stand, unconscious, unsee- 
ing, wrapt in horror as in a cloak, 

Belinda read on. After the King and the 
Queen and her holy aunt, the Princess Elizabeth, 
had been sent to the guillotine, and her little 
brother lay dying in the room below her, where 
she could hear his cries, but not see him, came 
the men, better intentioned, to improve the con- 
dition of her cheerless room. One of them tried 
a piano that was there, Isn’t it out of tune ?” 

I do not know,” the princess said ; it was the 
Queen’s, I will never touch it again,” 

Tears filled Belinda’s eyes. Reading this nar- 
rative, she felt strong and brave. To suffer 
nobly ! — that was the best thing in the world ! 

She was impatient when a knock sounded at the 

17 


258 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


door, for she had turned back to the first chapters 
in the book. They gave an account of the 
frivolity, the sinfulness, the cynicism of some of 
those French nobles who died so gracefully 
when the Red Terror wrought retribution upon 
them. 

‘‘ Come in ! ’’ she said, not too graciously. 

Inez Fawcett entered. She closed the door 
after her. 

‘‘I have just come to brush my hair a little 
before I go home.'' 

Belinda was struck by a strange note in her 
voice. 

‘‘ Oh, I'm wretched ! — and I look it ! " she ex- 
claimed, turning from the mirror. 

Belinda rose, and put her arm about Inez. 

“ Tell me ! " 

** I can’t." 

‘‘ It may help you ! " 

‘"No," said Inez, — her face was pale, — “No; 
you wouldn't understand ; you'd despise me. 
It's no use. I've just broken down because I 
couldn't help. I wish I had some money ; I 
don't want t/ie7n to see that I feel so bad about 
what is a trifle to them'' 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 


259 


‘‘ I would help you if } could.*' 

Nonsense ! " said Inez, fiercely. If you 
could, you wouldn't. But, as you can't, there is 
no use in talking about it." 

‘‘Well, dry your eyes, Inez; — here's lavender 
water " 

“ I wish I were rich, — I hate to be poor ; if I 
had a little money, I would not be the wretched- 
est girl in New York to-night ! " 

“ I am poor, Inez, but I don’t intend to be un- 
happy." 

“ Oh, you've a rich aunt, and you're not in so- 
ciety. You don’t have to pay debts of honor." 

“ All debts are debts of honor, are they not ? " 

“You’re a little fool! " said Inez, stamping her 
foot. “You can put off other debts, but, if you 
lose at cards, you must pay at once." 

“ Lose at cards? " cried Belinda, aghast. 

“Yes, — lose at cards, idiot ! I’ve just lost one 
hundred and twenty dollars, and I had to pay it, 
— twenty dollars of my own, and a hundred my 
mother gave me to pay the rent ! " 

“ Oh, Inez 1 Inez ! " exclaimed Belinda. 
“ How could you ? " 

“ I knew that’s what you would say ? How 


260 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


couldn't I ? — rather ! The money is gone ; — 
mother will not have another cent in the world 
for a month. We keep up appearances, but, since 
father died, we haven't a penny to spare. I’ll 
drown myself ! I just thought Td risk the 
twenty dollars of my own, and perhaps make a 
hundred, — Sara Griffiths often makes that much 
in an evening, — she did to-night, — but I lost and 
lost and lost ! and here I am, ruined ! I don't see 
why I tell you, Belinda, except that you are so 
honest, and I believeyou'd help me if you could." 

‘‘ I can," said Belinda, “ and I will ! I've a 
cheque for a hundred dollars, — Mr. Laffan gave 
it to me, — for myself, — to do as I please with, 
and " 

‘‘You'll lend it to me," said Inez, joyously. 

“ With pleasure." 

“ It reads ‘ to bearer,' " said Inez, examining the 
piece of paper which Belinda took from her ma- 
hogany box. “ I'll pay you as soon as I can ; 
but you may need it ? " 

“ Oh, no ! " 

“ I'm happy ! " Inez kissed Belinda rapturously, 
and the color came back to her cheeks. “ I'll go 
in and face them now. Oh, Belinda, you have 


BELINDA AND INEZ. 261 

saved me ! — but promise that you will not tell 
your aunt.’’ 

Of course not,” said Belinda, indignantly. 

It’s a matter of honor.” 

You’re a brick ! ” cried Inez, embracing her 
again. To be sure. I’ve lost twenty dollars, and 
I’ll have to make an old hat over again, — but 
there may be a turn in luck. I don’t see why I 
shouldn’t be as lucky for once as Sara Griffiths. 
I’ll try, anyhow.” 

^‘Surely/’ said Belinda, ‘‘you will not play 
again ? ” 

How little you know what girls in society 
have to do, Belinda, you innocent little thing. I 
shouldn’t be anything in our set if I didn’t play 
^ bridge 

Inez, I should not have given you that 
money if I thought you did not intend to give 
it to your mother ! ” 

‘"You bloomin’ idiot!” laughed Inez, "‘I’ll 
stay and make it a cool two hundred before mid- 
night. Of course. I’ll pay you at once.” 

“ No, no ! ” called Belinda, but Inez had gone. 


262 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XXXVII. 

THE BURGLAR. 

Belinda was shocked, as well she might be. 
That a young girl should shamelessly lose or win 
money in a friend’s house struck her as “ awful,” 
— not in the sense* in which awful is generally 
used, — but in the real meaning of the word. She 
heard the voices in the drawing-room raised again, 
— Inez was making her adieux, — and she went 
back to her book, relieved. 

She had acquired in the convent a taste for what 
is called serious ” reading. Sister Clement had 
permitted a certain number of novels, but she had 
shown her pupils that it was, in most cases, better 
to read the sources of the historical novel rather 
than the novel itself, and she had encouraged her 
girls to read and comment on questions of history, 
and to choose an epoch in which to make re- 
searches. Belinda had become interested in the 
French Revolution, and from the French Revo- 


THE BURGLAR. 


263 


lution, she had read herself back to the Ameri- 
can Revolution. Of late she had become in- 
terested in ‘‘ sources,” — that is, in the documents 
on which histories are founded. And Belinda 
had been led into this so gently that she was not 
aware that she was working at all. Her interest 
in sources ” had been much increased since she 
had learned French so that she could read it well. 
She was making careful notes of the sources” 
mentioned in the history she was reading. She 
stopped suddenly when she had written in her book 

Memoirs sur la Vie de Marie Antoinette par 
Madame Campan.” She realized that she could 
not hope to buy this book or any other, since 
her money was gone. It occurred to her for the 
first time, with real force, that the pleasure of be- 
ing generous must always be paid for by some- 
body. 

If my hundred dollars help Inez to pay her 
mother's rent, I don't mind ; but, if the money 
temps her to gamble, I do mind it very much,” 
she thought. 

Poor Marie Antoinette ! — when she had the 
hands of the clock turned forward, so that she 
and her agreeable friends might play for high 


2Gi 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


stakes when the King had gone, little did she 
dream of the evil she was working by her ex- 
ample ! And with what rage the people, who 
had suffered for years through the luxury of courts, 
turned on the beautiful Countess, Jules de Polig- 
nac, who was so gay and light-hearted, and drove 
her from France. If people become luxurious 
and forget to show good example, retribution 
must follow. If people would only read history ! 
Belinda reflected. 

Shortly after midnight she was awakened by 
fierce barks and squeals coming from somewhere 
in the rear of the apartment. Then she heard 
men's voices and the sound of a pistol ; there was 
a great hubbub ; she bolted the door, and, though 
much frightened, she thought with a vague satis- 
faction that history had prepared her to meet an 
uprising of the New York populace with a certain 
calmness. It was evident that her aunt had locked 
herself in, too ; — for her voice could be heard in 
an excited talk with the butler. The populace did 
not appear, however. Belinda dragged her wash- 
stand from the door, removed the long rain coat, in 
which she had expected to meet the revolutionists, 
and went to bed. 


THE BURGLAR. 


265 


In the morning the little breakfast-room looked 
as bright as usual. Tall lilies bowed from the 
vase in the middle of the table ; the urn looked 
as comfortable as usual, and the coffee smelt 
equally comfortable. 

Mrs. Gillflory was already seated, holding Mor- 
fido in her arms ; grouped about her were Claudia, 
Arnold, the cook, the maids and the butler. 

“ Dear, sweet, precious one ! exclaimed Mrs. 
Gillflory, ‘Mie saved all our lives, — dear, itty, 
tootsie wootsie ! 

Though very much puzzled, Belinda could not 
help thinking that Aloysius and Fred would have 
been insulted by such baby ** talk directed to 
the manly and knowing Morfido. 

Tttle, tweetie, tootsie wootsie ! Mrs. Gillflory 
continued, and Morfido, seeing an old friend, 
leaped across the table into the arms of Belinda. 

Wait ! Belinda said. 

She took Morfido into her room, delighted with 
the impression he had made. In a short time 
Morfido had an enormous bow of cherry-colored 
ribbon about his heck ; his legs were ornamented 
with smaller bows, and a still smaller one almost 
concealed his tail. 


266 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Mrs. Gillflory was entranced. He would be a 
new sensation ; she would take him out for a drive, 
every day, and change the color of the ribbons. 

pale pink would suit him beautifully ; he 
has such a lovely complexion ! said Mrs. Gill- 
flory. 

Arnold burst out laughing. He caught Be- 
linda’s eye, and she was compelled to laugh, too.. 
After all, Arnold must have some good qualities, 
she thought, since he and she could laugh at the 
same thing. 

You may laugh,” said Mrs. Gillflory, severely, 
‘‘but if the burglar hadn’t trodden on Morfido, — 
dear, ’ittle precious ! — and Morfido had not had 
the sense to squeal, we should all be murdered in 
our beds ! ” 

“ I ain’t sure that it were a burglar man, or 
honly a man that ’ad ’ad too much, — I wouldn’t 
swear to it ; but ’e was a nawsty customer, — I’ll 
say that ; and, when I 'ear the little dawg squeal, 
I whipped out my revolver and let it drive. ’E 
’owled and dropped down on the kitchen lift ; — 
that’s hall I know ! ” 

“ Did you shoot him? ” asked Claudia, horror, 
stricken. “ I hope you didn’t.” 


THE BURGLAR. 


267 


I fawncy not/' the butler said, I missed." 

It's over now. You must be sure to lock the 
doors of the lifts ; — he came up on one of them 
evidently," said Mrs. Gillflory. 

Belinda noticed that Claudia was very pale, and 
that she passed a note from her hand into the 
pocket of the little lace apron she wore. The 
breakfast was quite gay ; Morfido behaved with 
good propriety, and Mrs. Gillflory was in great 
good hurnor over her new toy. Arnold and 
Belinda avoided all musical subjects ; but Claudia 
was unusually quiet and preoccupied. 

Belinda found her work cut out " for her this 
morning. Mrs. Gillflory required a long and 
complicated letter to be written in French to her 
dressmaker in the Rue de la Paix, Paris. Then 
she was expected to compose twelve pretty notes, 
— each unlike the other, — for an ‘‘ informal " din- 
ner two weeks ahead. After that, she was to 
balance Mrs. Gillflory's household books for a 
month past, and then go to the florist and choose 
decorations for an informal " tea a week hence. 

Belinda was rather nervous when she had 
finished the important letter for the Rue de la 
Paix. 


268 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


‘‘ If I knew French well/' said Mrs. Gillflory, 
impatiently, I should never look in a dictionary." 

Belinda closed her mouth tightly. 

When the letter, with all its details, was done, 
Mrs. Gillflory declared that she must go to the 
shops, — Belinda would have to write the notes on 
her own responsibility. 

Mrs. Paul Thornton is literary. Make some 
literary allusion in her note, — say something 
about poetry, — any old poetry will do. Old 
General Erwin likes to be considered a handsome 
man, — say, — of course, these notes are all to be 
written in my name, — that he was the best-look- 
ing man at Mrs. Myles* concert the other night. 
As for the rest, a line or two of general prettiness 
will do." 

‘‘ Fm afraid that I can't. Aunt. Claudia " 

Claudia is not paid for this sort of thing," 
said Mrs. Gillflory, severely. ‘‘ If Claudia was 
clever and needed money, I wouldn't have you." 

‘‘ Oh, very well," said Belinda, trying to be as 
calm and stately as Marie Antoinette on the way 
to execution. Anything more?" 

‘‘ No, that's enough, if it's well done. Good- 
bye." 


THE BURGLAR. 


269 


I am the most unhappy girl in the world/' 
thought Belinda, beginning to cry after Mrs. 
Gillflory had gone. It's the hardest thing in 
the world to be ordered about ! Dictionary ! 
If she d look into a dictionary oftener, she would 
not use so much slang. I wish I did not have to 
earn my own living ! " 

Indignant, red-eyed, Belinda ploughed into the 
work of composing the notes. After awhile, the 
exercise amused her. 

Here's ‘ Miss Mae Cresson,' — ^ fond of roses,' " 
Mrs. Gillflory has written under her name. I’ll 
do it this way, I think. 

' My dear Miss Cresson : — I am to have a 
few friends at dinner, on tfie twentieth, and I par- 
ticularly want you. You will find your favorite; 
roses on the table, and a great bunch for yourself. 
Do not fail me. Yours, affectionately, Henriette. 
Gillflory.' It does not seem long enough ; but. 
they are all to be short, I believe; — ‘ Henriette,' 
— yes, my aunt signs ‘ Henriette ' now ; she has. 
written it plainly.” 

It was nearly luncheon time when Belinda had 
completed her tasks. She was tired and hungry ; 
she was preparing to take Morfido out foi: a run^ 


270 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

when Claudia came into the room. Claudia was 
dressed for walking, and Belinda could not help 
admiring her. 

I look well, you think,” Claudia said ; “ I see 
in your eyes that you think so ; — I am wearing 
the tailor-made suit my aunt gave me, done by 

Redfern, and the plumes in my hat ” 

“ They’re lovely. They’re almost as beautiful 
as the famous heron plume that the Due de 
Lauzun gave to the Queen of France.” 

I never read about it,” said Claudia, in- 
differently. Don’t you envy all this splen- 
dor ? ” 

Before I came here, especially when I read 
about ‘ society ’ in the papers, I used to think 
that girls like you were much to be envied ; but, 

since I’m here, but, after all, Claudia, it’s hard 

for a girl to work for her living. You don’t know 
how hard it is, and I’ve only begun to see it 
myself. If I wasn’t a Catholic, I couldn’t stand 
it. Now, this morning I was tempted to be 
angry with my aunt.” 

She is stupid,” said Claudia, “ but good- 
natured when things please her. There are some 
things she will not do,” she added with a sigh. 


THE BURGLAR. 271 

** rd give up all this luxury, if I could earn my 
own living, and be independent/’ 

One can never be independent in this world,” 
said Belinda, with an answering sigh. I know 
that.” 

You are more independent than I am. What 
can I do ? 1 have been brought up for society ; 

I am given beautiful things,— 3 ^es ; I have an al- 
lowance, for every cent of which I must account ; 
I am permitted to lose a little money on bridge • 
but not much. I must buy gloves and ribbons 
out of my allowance, and I must have new things 
continually. I must^ — that’s all. If I try to 
make things for myself, people find it out and 
laugh.” 

Let them laugh ! ” Belinda said. 

haven’t been brought up that way. I 
couldn’t stand it. Everybody’s family has a 
skeleton in it.” 

‘‘ Mine has always been worn outside,” said Be- 
linda, laughing. “ Come, — let’s take ten minutes’ 
run with the heroic Morfido. It will freshen us 
both up. I thought you disliked me, cousin Clau- 
dia.” 

I did,” said Claudia, as the two girls went 


272 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


down in the elevator; that is, I disliked you be- 
cause you are a poor relation, and a poor relation 
is always in the way.*’ 

Thank you ! ” said Belinda, flushing, you 
will not find me in your way.” 

I know that, — I have found that out,” said 
Claudia, and I have begun to like you ; — besides, 
you have character ^ 

Belinda walked beside her cousin in silence ; she 
was hotly indignant. The day was exquisitely 
clear and crisp. They increased their pace. Sud- 
denly, as they neared a seat under a magnificent 
elm, Claudia stopped and caught Belinda’s arm. 

There he is ! ” she exclaimed. Let us go 
back!” 


JEM. 


273 


XXXVIII. 

JEM. 

Belinda caught up Morfido, and the girls 
turned. A young man was sitting on the bench 
under the elm, his head buried in his hands. 

^^Who is he? asked Belinda. 

‘‘My brother, if you must know,” said Clau- 
dia, fiercely. I intended to tell you about him,” 
she added, more gently. “ He broke into the flat 
last night.’' 

Belinda stood still. 

“ A Deresby, my cousin, a thief ! ” 

“ Not at all ! ” said Claudia proudly. “ He never 
stole anything in his life. I am astonished that 
you should think that Jem is like that! How I 
wish I could earn something for him ! If it had 
had not been for that horrid little dog, he would 
have had something to eat at least.” 

What has he done ? ” , 

18 


274 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Oh, only made a fool of himself, — that’s all ! ” 
said Claudia, bitterly, ‘‘ and people in our posi- 
tion never forgive that.” 

‘‘ Why can’t I speak to him, then ? ” demanded 
Belinda stopping. '' He’s my cousin !” 

‘‘ Do you really want to? He’s very poor, and 
dressed like a tramp.” 

Belinda went back towards the elm tree. 

I don’t care how poor he is, if he has done 
nothing wrong.” 

Claudia followed her. 

‘‘Jem ran off and married without telling any- 
body. None of the family will speak to him, — 
not even Arnold. He has a wife and a little 
boy, named Claude after me. He is just out of 
college. He had some work to do, but Aunt Gill- 
flory went and made the business people discharge 
him. She says that if we shun him and his wife 
long enough, he’ll have to give her up, because 
she is not of our class. Then she can be provided 
for, and he left free.” 

“ He never can be free ! ” 

“ People seem to think he can.” 

“ Marriage is for always ! ” 

‘‘ Oh, you’re a Catholic ! of course you think so. 


JEM. 


275 


I wish Aunt Gillflory was more of a Catholic, 
and then she’d think so, too, and help poor old 
Jem. His wife is very sweet and a Catholic too, 
and the little boy looks like me.” 

‘^Claudia,” said Belinda, her eyes flashing, we 
must bring Mrs. Gillflory to her senses ! Cousin 
Jem may have been wrong, but he is right now. 
He cannot leave his wife and child.” 

“ I wish that I could feel as sure of things as 
you feel,” said Claudia, it must be a great con- 
solation.” 

“ I have no doubt as to what is right or wrong. 
Father Belford used to say that there’s one thing 
you can’t say against Catholics ; — you can’t say 
we are not certain and stire^ 

“ It helps. Some people we know are divorced 
and married, and some people want Jem to be 
divorced ; but he will not. Oh, he is so poor ! ” 

‘‘ He is strong and well. He can work.” 

‘'You speak of these things so energetically,” 
cried Claudia. “ It is not so easy to get work when 
one’s people are against one. If Arnold should see 
me speaking to him, he’d tell Mrs. Gillflory 
and ” 

“Arnold!” cried Belinda, contemptuously, 


376 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


Arnold ! Fd like to see anybody on earth that 
could prevent me from speaking to my brother, — 
no ! ” added Belin-da, after a short hesitation, 

even if he drank.*' 

‘‘Jem doesn’t drink,” said Claudia, indignantly. 
“Let us hurry and speak to Jem ; — Arnold will 
come this way to luncheon soon.” 

“ Who cares? ” said Belinda. 

“ I do very much,” said Claudia, looking around 
uneasily. 

Jem Deresby raised his head as the girls ap- 
proached. He had a kind, frank face; eyes like 
Claudia’s, not so large, but more expressive of 
keenness. He was rather too pink and white, 
Belinda thought, but she liked his looks. He 
wore summer clothes and a Derby hat, rather 
faded, but carefully brushed. His face brightened 
when he saw Claudia. He rose and bowed. 

“Our cousin, Belinda Murray,” Claudia said, 
smiling. 

It always pleased her to meet her favorite 
brother, and she was at her best in his company. 

“ I am glad to see you,” said Belinda, smiling, 
determined to put everybody at ease, “ and how 
are Mrs. Jem and Claude ?” 


JEM. 


277 


Jem’s face was positively illuminated. 

‘‘So Claudia has told you? My wife is well, 
though she has to endure a great deal because 
Fm such a poor beggar, and the baby’s almost as 
pretty as Claudia. Fm sorry I made such a row 
last night, but Claudia said that she would get 
some things for my wife and the baby, and she 
told me to run up on the kitchen elevator and get 
them. I did ; but I trod upon a dog, and I 
nearly got a pistol ball, as well as the big can 
of jelly and the stuff for the baby Claudia left 
there.” 

“ I haven’t much to give. Jem knows that,” 
said Claudia, sadly. Then she gave an affrighted 
look over her shoulder and hastened away with- 
out a word. 

Belinda looked backward, to see Arnold and 
Mrs. Gillflory coming down the walk. As yet 
they had not seen her. 

Go, — go !” said Jem. “I came here on the 
chance of seeing Claudia and telling her that I 
appreciate her kindness. If you do not go my 
aunt will make your life a burden.” 

“ Let her try it,” said Belinda, composedly. “ I 
Will apologize to nobody for speaking to my own 


278 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


cousin. If Mrs. Gillflory objects to my friends, 
she can engage a new secretary. Working for 
one’s living has some advantages, after all.” 

Jem laughed. 

‘‘ There isn’t a friend of mine who would advise 
me to run away when I’m doing no wrong ! ” 

Jem stood, politely holding his hat in his hand. 

I know now that I did wrong in marrying at 
college,” Jem said. ‘‘Alice did not know that 
my people objected ; but I never thought,” there 
was a little break in his voice, “ that my parents 
and Arnold, who had been so kind to me all my 
life, could have, — well, — been so unkind, though 
I don’t say I didn’t deserve it.” 

Arnold approached Belinda. Taking off his 
hat but not noticing his brother, he said, — “ Your 
aunt wants you at once, Belinda ! ” 

“Oh, tell Mrs. Gillflory that I am talking to 
my cousin. Ask her not to wait ; I shall be at 
home presently with all the news about her 
nephew’s wife and the baby. Don’t wait; — I am 
not going yet.” 

Arnold stopped, as if petrified. 

“ Did you hear what I said ? ” 

“ Perfectly,” said Belinda, “ and,” she added, 


JEM. 279 

suddenly flaring up, ‘‘ I hope that you'll never 
speak to me again, — genius 

Arnold went off as if he were propelled by a 
superior force. 

‘‘You are in for it!" said Jem, admiringly. 
“ But they'll make your life a burden." 

“ I don't think they will," said Belinda. “ If 
I stay they will find that I can defend myself. I 
like a fight," she said, “ when I am in the right ! 
But don't think I am ungrateful to Aunt Gill- 
flory ; — she has been spoiled, and a little respect- 
ful truth-telling will not hurt her ; she has been 
too rich all her life, and she's never suffered. Of 
course I'll be respectful, — I have to examine my 
conscience every night " 

“You're like Alice! " said Jem, smiling. 

“ But all the same, I will tell her the truth. 
Where do you live ? " 

“ It's a poor place," said Jim, reluctantly. “ I 
would like Alice to know you, though." 

“ I'll come, and bring Morfido," she said, as he 
gave her a card on which his address was written. 
“ Why could not Claudia have taken the jelly to 
you, instead of making you take the risk of 
going up to the kitchen ?" 


280 


BELINDA’S COUSINS, 


“ She wouldn't dare to come ; — and, besides, I 
wanted to see her. I shall not try it again ; your 
hideous little dog stopped that." 

Dear Morfido ! I shall take him to see Claude. 
Good-bye, cousin ! " 

Jem made his best bow, and his heart was 
lighter than it had been for many a day. He 
was only twenty-three, and he had not learned to 
bear the results of his own mistakes with patience. 

Belinda held Morfido tight, as she went up in 
the elevator. She was ready for the conflict ; 
but she was not so brave as she seemed to be ; 
and, then, she was afraid that she might be driven 
to say something disrespectful to Mrs. Gillflory. 
To be sure, Mrs. Gillflory was only her aunt in 
some distant way ; but she was older, and, though 
Belinda considered her mental qualities to be of 
no higher order, yet she knew that she was proud 
to a certain observance of politeness, at least. 

To keep up her courage, Belinda whistled an 
air, as she washed her hands and gave her collar 
a resetting. 

Everybody was at luncheon. Claudia was very 
white, Arnold looked scornful, and Mrs. Gillflory 
very dignified. 


^ JEM. 281 

‘‘ What horrible tune were you whistling, you 
insolent girl ? asked Mrs. Gillflory. 

“ Arnold’s new two-step,” said Belinda, calmly. 
“ I’m sorry I whistled ; I caught the habit when 
I was young ; I know it is unladylike ; I generally 
whistle when I am surprised.” 

Surprised ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Gillflory, sur^ 
prised ! I am shocked, dumfounded. And 
you’re ‘ surprised ! ’ ” 

“ Surprised that you should treat a poor, un- 
fortunate boy as you are treating my cousin,” 
said Belinda, determined to be cool at all haz- 
ards. “ But suppose I reserve this discussion of 
your conduct until after luncheon ; it will take 
away your appetite now. You had a pleasant 
evening?” she said, addressing Claudia. 

Mrs. Gillflory gasped. Claudia was too aston- 
ished to answer. 

“You ought to be ashamed to speak to my 
aunt in that fashion,” began Arnold. “ Jem 

“ I know all about Jem,” said Belinda. “ Jem, 
though not a genius, is a gentleman ; and, when 
I am free from my duties here, I shall go to see 
his wife and the baby.” 

“You shall not,” exclaimed Mrs, Gillflory. " 


282 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


I am not paid for my leisure time, Mrs. Gill- 
flory, and I shall certainly go to any proper place. 
My cousin's house is a proper place. I am sur- 
prised that you, whose good heart everybody 
speaks of, should let your own nephew and his 
wife," here Belinda's voice shook, “ and his 
beautiful little baby — starve." 

Belinda suddenly lost her voice, began to cry, 
and left the table. 

Mrs. Gillflory frowned ; she half rose, then 
she turned fiercely to Claudia and Arnold. 

It's your fault," she said, “ all your fault ! If 
you had had the courage of that child, Jem's wife 
and baby would have been looked after long 
ago ; but you know I'm rich, and you know every 
whim of mine, good or bad. You'll gain little by 
it — I can tell you that ! " 

“ Oh, aunt ! aunt ! I am so glad ! " ex- 
claimed Claudia, putting her arms around Mrs. 
Gillflory. You don't know how brave Jem has 
been, under it all. And he always liked you so ! 
And they say his wife is the nicest little 
thing." 

I don't believe it," said Arnold, sullenly, 
Jem's married beneath him, and he ought to 


JEM. 283 

be made to divorce his wife, for the sake of the 
family. You'll regret this, Aunt." 

“ Belinda says that Roman Catholics do not 
believe in divorce," said Claudia, fearing that 
Arnold's words might have some effect. ‘‘ And 
you're a Roman Catholic." 

Of course I am," said Mrs. Gillflory, and 
I'm proud of it. We're among the oldest Catho- 
lic families in this country. To be sure. I'm not 
very practical, but a woman in society has such 
little time for religion. ’ I will not have people 
say I am hard-hearted. Where did Belinda hear 
that, I wonder? And, Arnold, I will not have 
her offended. Her work this morning shows 
that she’s the best secretary I have ever had ; 
she corrects my spelling, and never speaks about 
it. I'd rather take Jem and all his family in than 
lose her ; I'm so dependent ! " 


284 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XXXIX. 

AN ACCUSATION. 

Arnold came into the drawing-room before 
dinner. He was in evening dress, and he wore 
an orchid in his buttonhole. Belinda was sitting 
under the central lamp, reading her French His- 
tory. Arnold took a long look at himself in one 
of the glass panels of the room, and complacently 
smoothed his upper lip, where a mustache was 
beginning to grow. Belinda nodded to him, and 
went on with her book. 

‘‘A novel?’- he said, patronizingly. ‘‘Some- 
thing light, I suppose. By the way, I am think- 
ing of writing a musical novel, after the manner 
of ‘ Charles Auchester,’ myself.” 

“Indeed?” said Belinda, determined to be 
merely polite ; but she forgot this in her interest, 
in her French subject. “ If I ever write a novel, 
it will be founded on the French Revolution.” 

“ Indeed ? ” he said, incredulously. “ That will 
require a great deal of study.” 


AN ACCUSATION. 


285 


- ** I propose to study — not to begin to do things 
before I know how.'' 

Naturally. You will have a hero, of course, 
how would I do ? " 

“Not at all," Belinda said, putting down her 
book, and entering the fray. “ I should make 
my hero very different." 

“ Let me tell you, Belinda," he said, dropping 
his patronizing air, — “that your tongue is too 
sharp for a girl." 

“Perhaps it is ; I have been told so before ; 
but why do you force me to use it? I will not 
be patronized by you ; I will not pretend that I 
like your imitation music. Why can't you do 
honest work, as a straight boy should ? " 

Arnold reddened. 

“ Boy ! " he exclaimed. “ I am going out to 
dine with some of the best people in New York, 
who do not treat me as a ^ boy.' " 

“ I don't care anything about t/iaL It is not 
what people think of us but what we honestly 
think of ourselves that ought to count. You 
must know that you can never do anything if you 
don't work." 

“ You meddle too much in family affairs, and 


286 BELINDA’S COUSINS. 

you are too personal/* Arnold said, in an angry 
tone. 

I don*t want to be personal. I thought I was 
among people who were so cultivated that they 
would not be personal, but it is altogether different. 
I can’t be gentle in an atmosphere like this.” 

Arnold went into the hall, to return with his 
top coat on, and his opera hat in his hand. 

“ Tableau number two,” Belinda said to her- 
self ; but she had strength of will sufficient to 
suppress the observation. 

I just came back to say that it would be well 
for you to keep out of Jem’s affairs. You are 
only a distant cousin, anyhow. Mrs. Laffan is 
your mother’s cousin, and yet you call Mr. Laf- 
fan your uncle and Mrs. Gillflory your aunt. 
We Deresbys are nearer, of course ; but not so 
near as to give you a right to meddle.” 

‘‘ Mr. and Mrs. Laffan asked me to call them 
‘ uncle ’ and ‘ aunt,’ and Mrs. Gillflory insists upon 
it. I should be ashamed to know that my brother 
is starving ; I should be more than ashamed to 
wear an orchid and to go out to splendid dinner- 
parties, if my little nephew was starving too ! — 
now there ! ” 


AN ACCiUSATION. 287 

Belinda’s dignity collapsed ; she took up her 
book, to hide her tears. 

“ I’m not an intruder; I have been asked to 
be as one of the family. I hate you, Arnold 
Deresby ! ” 

“ Christian sentiment ! ” exclaimed Arnold, 
drumming on the chimney-piece with his fingers. 

I don’t think that the dollar I’ve paid for this 
orchid would help Jem much.” 

‘‘You — you don’t know what a dollar is to 
a poor man. I’ve lived among poor people ; I 
knowy 

Arnold looked uneasy, — for a few moments he 
forgot himself. 

“ What do you want me to do ? ” 

“ I don’t want you to do anything, except to 
be kind and true. You’re sneering at me, — you 
are thinking that I am not kind ; but I’m true.” 

“ Frank, no doubt. It seems to me, Belinda, 
that you might be less hypocritical. If you think 
so much of being kind to Jem, — if you hate gam- 
bling as much as you say, why didn’t you give him 
the hundred dollars you put up, so that Inez 
Fawcett and you might rake in a lot of money at 
bridge ? ” 


288 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


I didn’t ! ” cried Belinda, standing and facing 
Arnold. 

I saw the check ; Inez showed it to me this 
afternoon. If you can stake money in that way, 
you’d better help your friend, Jem. High senti- 
ments are all very well ; but, when a ‘ lady ’ finds 
fault with other people’s playing cards for money, 
and tries to get a big interest in a gambling game 
for herself, she ought not to talk against the evils 
of society ! ” 

Arnold laughed triumphantly, 

Belinda was silent. Her first impulse was to 
tell the truth. Her second was to pour forth a 
torrent of wrath against Arnold ; but how could 
she ? Righteous indignation, under the circum- 
stances, would only appear to him, as hypocrisy ; 
and she had promised Inez not to tell. 

‘‘ When your ‘aunt’ hears it, there will be a 
row.” 

“ When Mrs. Gillflory hears it, I will have an 
explanation ! ” 

“ Your imagination will have to be very vivid. 
Let me advise you not to lecture others, — not to 
preach so much, — not to teach so often. It is 
much better to play cards for money than to try 


AN ACCUSATION. 289 

to win money on the sly, — and then to deny 
it!^^ 

Belinda did not speak. All this was very bitter 
to her. 

‘‘ If you ask Inez '' she began, as Arnold 

moved to the door. 

‘‘ Inez showed me the cheque, I told you.*’ 

Belinda felt that he would have been delighted 
to see her humiliate herself in some way. She 
prayed for patience, and held her tongue. She 
stood up silent, until he had gone. Then she 
went to her room, tothink. Apparently she was 
a hypocrite and, she shuddered, a liar. Arnold 
had almost said that word. Well, she must bear 
it. She said a prayer before the picture of the 
Madonna. The gong sounded. With a heavy 

heart, she went back to the dining-room. 

19 


290 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


XL. 

THE CLIMAX. 

Mrs. Gillflory was in a bad humor. A set 
of menu cards for a luncheon had been sent 
home, but they did not suit her. Belinda had 
gone off to Mass, and, at ten o’clock, had not re- 
turned. To Claudia’s despair, she had forgotten 
all about Jem. She was in the breakfast-room, — 
Morfido beside her, tied up in pale-blue ribbons, 
to match hers, — and Claudia was standing by the 
window, hoping that Belinda would arrive. 

Belinda, under the impression, that there was 
nothing for a secretary to do that morning, was 
taking her own time. She had gone to confession 
to Father Belford, After Mass she had a long 
and strengthening talk with him. Then she had 
gone over to see all the Leos, who were growing 
very fast. Father Belford had given her a short 
‘‘Life of St. Teresa ’’and advised her, with a 
smile, to hold her tongue. 


THE CLIMAX. 


291 


‘‘ I am always nice with nice people/’ she said, 
apologetically, but these society people try me 
very much.” 

Father Belford laughed. ** They are not so 
very different from other persons, only they have 
less to do. Don’t be critical, and, on the other 
hand, don’t be frivolous. And don’t attempt to 
teach, except by example, until you are very 
strong yourself.” 

Unfortunately, while Belinda was out, Mrs. 
Gillflory, looking for an object on which to ex- 
pend the anger caused by her disappointment 
about the luncheon cards, fell upon Arnold, who 
was trying a new composition of his on the 
piano. 

‘‘You spend too much money,” she exclaimed. 
“ Your father will never pay me back this tailor’s 
bill ; it’s outrageous ! ” 

Arnold left the little white-enamelled upright 
piano that stood in the alcove at the end of the 
breakfast-room, and looked at the bill. 

“ I wonder why they always send in big bills in 
the morning when people are in a bad humor,” he 
sighed. 

“ It’s an outrage ; if you're going to spend 


292 BELINDA'S COUSINS. 

money this way you ought to earn it/' said his 
aunt. 

“ If I were like your precious Belinda, Fd earn 
enough money to have other people gamble for 
me." 

Oh, Arnold ! " said Claudia. Do you really 
mean to tell ? " 

“ Well, it's out now ; " Arnold was ashamed of 
himself. She’s meddled in our affairs, and Fll 
teach her a lesson." 

I wan't to know what you mean, Arnold ? " 

I mean that Belinda goes halves with Inez 
Fawcett in the evenings at bridge, that’s what I 
mean ! " 

‘‘It's infamous!" said Mrs. Gillflory. “In- 
famous ! A poor unknown girl playing cards 
for money. It’s awful!" 

Claudia darted looks of indignation at her 
brother. 

“ If we risk our money, I do not see why Be- 
linda should not do it ! " said Claudia. 

“ We ! " cried Mrs. Gillflory, “ we ! We can 
afford it." 

“ Some of us cannot. I know girls who are 
just desperate because they cannot pay their 


THE CLIMAX. 


293 


losses ; and others who buy most luxurious 
things, quite beyond their means, when they win. 
After all, Belinda is right, this rage for gam- 
bling is bad ! ** 

‘‘ You've become a convert since you've lost, I 
suppose," said Arnold. You ask Belinda about 
the cheque, Aunt ! " 

‘‘ I did not think Arnold would have done it ! " 
said Claudia. Jem would have cut his hand off 
first." 

I don't care about Jem. Here’s Belinda!" 

Belinda came in, looking very cool and com- 
fortable and unconscious. 

My luncheon cards are all wrong, Belinda," 
began Mrs. Gillflory, and, if you stay so late at 
Mass, I shall have to forbid you to go ; — I never 
have time to go myself. Look at them ! I had 
arranged to have eight cards, each with the coat- 
of-arms of a guest ; but, look ! they’re so queer, 
lop-sided or something." 

Belinda obeyed. 

The pictures were badly drawn and as badly 
colored. 

‘‘ It is too late to repaint them ; the heralding 
is bad, too." 


294 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


** Oh, dear, what shall I do ? *' Mrs. Gillflory’s 
voice could not have been more pathetic if she 
were threatened with instant exile to the Dry 
Tortugas. 

‘‘I have a set in my desk,’’ Belinda said, put- 
ting in practice Father Belford’s precepts. *'One 
of the girls at the convent painted them for me. 
They're pictures of little children, copied, I think, 
from Boutet de Monvel’s pictures ; they’re lovely ; 
I will go to get them.” 

In her heart Belinda disliked to give these 
precious cards to Mrs. Gillflory. The set 
had been used at the last breakfast of her class at 
the convent, and these were the replicas. How- 
ever, she gave them up, with a sigh, and by way 
of reparation for any impatience she had shown 
to Mrs. Gillflory. 

Ah, charming ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Gillflory, 
examing the ten cards, through her lorgnette. 
“ They are so novel ! They certainly have great 
taste in these convents. You have saved me, Be- 
linda. Now run to my desk and answer the 
business letters you’ll find there. Be sure to put 
the signed cheques in the right letters ! ” 

Claudia looked at her aunt, much relieved. 


THE CLIMAX. 


295 


Oh, I don’t intend to speak of the Inez Faw- 
cett affair until I am in a very bad humor some 
day. I’m all heart. If not angry, I can never 
scold anybody ! ” 

Mrs. Gillflory and Claudia went to a fashion- 
able lecture at twelve o’clock. Belinda was well 
into her work when Inez Fawcett, in an enor- 
mous lilac-colored hat, with plumes to match and 
a tan-colored coat and gown, very intricately em- 
broidered, came in. She did not attempt to kiss 
Belinda, who was in the act of folding an envelope. 
Three large cheques had not yet been inclosed. 

Inez looked over her shoulder. 

Three hundred dollars ! ” she exclaimed. I 
wish to heaven I had three hundred dollars ! ” 

Belinda saw that she Avas pale and worn. 

“I’ve lost your money,” she said. “Arnold 
got the cheque cashed for me, and I lost it, and 
more. Don’t talk to me ! I know I’m a wretch ; 
but, then, you’re not in actual want.” 

“ I don’t mind the money,” Belinda said, “ but 
I wish you would tell Mrs. Gillflory ; she may 
think — she may think ” Belinda checked her- 

self. She would not reveal Arnold’s ungentle- 
manly conduct. 


296 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


Oh, ril tell Mrs. Gillflory, if that’s all you 
want. There’s a row in the kitchen ; that pre- 
cious beast of yours is in trouble again, I suppose. 
Here, let me inclose these cheques ; they will be 
in time for the mail.” 

Belinda listened. She did not hear any noise ; 
but there was no knowing what Morfido might 
do : so off she went. 

“ ril mail your letters for you,” Inez called out. 
When Belinda returned to her desk, Inez had 
gone. 

Belinda had found a slight mistake in the 
household accounts ; by reference to one of the 
letters received that morning she corrected it. It 
was somewhat difficult, and so preoccupied was 
she that she forgot all about Inez’s visit until it 
was time to take her walk before luncheon. She 
found Jem Deresby on the seat in the Park. He 
stood up and smiled when he saw her. 

^‘Where’s Claudia?” he asked, smiling in a 
most friendly way. 

Out with Mrs. Gillflory.” 

Oh, then,” he said, in a relieved tone, she 
couldn’t come. You’ve done me a great favor.” 

About the telegram ? ” Belinda asked, very 


THE CLIMAX. 297 

much pleased. Did you hear from Mr. Laf- 
fan?^^ 

'^Yes, — this morning. It ran: ^ Come at 
once. Place secured. Not convenient to send 
money by telegraph ; Belinda can give you fifty 
dollars ! ' 

Belinda’s face changed ; she almost wrung her 
hands. 

But I can’t. You see I remembered that Mr. 
Laffan, I always call him ‘ uncle,’ you know, had 
said that a young man of good conduct and educa- 
tion was needed to take care of the Orme estate, 
while the Ormes are abroad. There is a fine house 
for his family — so I thought that it would suit you ; 
and I telegraphed to Mr. Laffan yesterday ; — I’m 
so glad, but, — oh, dear ! — I haven’t the money.” 

‘‘You gave it to Inez Fawcett, I know, for 
some good purpose. I saw Inez come out of your 
flat about an hour ago ; she had a cheque in her 
hand. I’m sorry we did not meet earlier. I 
fancy that a poor society girl, like Inez, must be 
very hard up at times. I tell you these girls who 
have never learned to work are the most wretched 
creatures in the world ! ” 

“ I have learned that,” said Belinda, “ and I 


298 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


have resolved to learn something well, something 
that I can do perfectly ; — but I did not give Inez 
a cheque to-day.’’ 

“ She had taken one out of an envelope ; I ob- 
served that she put some letters in the box near 
your entrance, and passed quickly to the car. I 
shouldn’t have noticed this if I had not been 
looking for Claudia.” 

Belinda was uneasy in a vague way ; she wished 
that she had posted Mrs. Gillflory’s letters her- 
self. 

Suppose you come up with me to your aunt ; 
she is not angry now.” 

‘‘ Really ? ” 

Really.” 

A miracle! ” said Jem, laughing. ‘‘You are 
a good fairy.” 

“ Show her the telegram, and perhaps she will 
lend you the money.” 

“ I would not ask her,” replied Jem, his face 
darkening. 

“ Oh, I wish I hadn’t given her the money ; 
I wish I hadn’t ! ” said Belinda, forgetting her 
self-control in her regret. 

“ But you said you didn’t. 


THE CLIMAX. 299 

I did not give her money to-day/' answered 
Belinda, flushing. 

‘‘You gave it to her before, and promised not 
to tell! I see!" said Jem, his eyes growing 
keener. “ I know Inez. Like half the girls in 
her set, she is either losing or winning money 
all the time. Fd rather see Alice dead than do 
that sort of thing ! It is ruining lots of nice 
girls. I understand about the money. You 
needn't tell me ! " 

“ I haven’t told you. It was a question of 
honor," said Belinda, distressed. 

“ I will go with you to Aunt Gillflory and have 
it out. You've got me my one chance ; and, 
for the sake of Alice and the baby, I'll put my 
pride in my pocket." 

Belinda and Jem paused in the corridor after 
they left the elevator, 

“Are you afraid?" Belinda asked, smiling a 
little. 

“ I must say I am," Jem answered, “ afraid of 
my temper, if Arnold is there." 

“ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wis- 
dom," quoted Belinda. 

“ I'll remember it," Jem said.. 


300 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


The door of the drawing-room was open. Mrs. 
Gillflory, in her bonnet and coat, was evidently 
very indignant. Claudia was near her, in street 
dress, too ; her face was white and frightened. 
A man stood near the door, holding a cheque in 
his hand. 

‘‘ I am sure,” he was saying, as Belinda came 
in sight, “ I can't help it, Mrs. Gillflory. This 
cheque of yours was presented at the bank a 
half hour ago, with a forged indorsement. Tm 
here to arrest the guilty party, in your interest 
and that of the bank ! ” 

Belinda ! ” screamed Mrs. Gillflory. Oh 
you wretched girl ! This comes of your learning 
to gamble.” 

The man turned and approached Belinda ; she 
seemed about to faint. 

‘‘ Excuse me, sir,” Jem said, coming between 
him, and the trembling girl, “ I have something 
to say.” 


THE END. 


301 


XLI. 

THE END. 

Mrs. Gillflory, who was a person of many 
moods, due to an uncontrolled and impetuous 
girlhood, threw herself into Jem's arms at once. 

Oh, Jem ! " she cried, ‘‘you are just in time. 
I need somebody to explain matters. Belinda, 
why did you back Inez Fawcett at cards? And 
I trusted you with all these cheques ! " 

“ Belinda has nothing to do with this," said 

Jem. “ If this gentleman " 

“ I am a private detective in the employ of the 
Oriental Bank, sir," said the man. “ This is a case 
of deliberate forgery. The cheque, as you see, 
is made out to the tailors, Muller & Co. It is 
indorsed by somebody who received the money. 
Our paying teller was taken suddenly ill, as he 
was about to pay the cheque. He has fits of ver- 
tigo lately. The cheque was held by a young 
woman, who hurried away as soon as she saw 


302 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


him fall. She tried to rescue the cheque, which 
he held in his hand. He did not recognize her.” 

‘‘ A young woman ! ” exclaimed Jem. ‘‘ I think 
I know who she is, but it is a mere suspicion.” 

In the meantime, as Mrs. Gillflory seems to 
think that this young lady is guilty, I shall have 
to give her into custody.” 

Oh, no, no ! ” cried Claudia. “ She is en- 
tirely innocent ! ” 

Let us see,” said the detective, with a stern, 
cool glance at Belinda, who had regained her 

calmness. This young lady ” 

Miss Murray,” said Jem, haughtily, ‘‘ and be 
careful that you speak of her respectfully ! ” 

This young lady,” continued the detective, 
looking as if he would have liked to lay violent 
hands on Jem, ‘‘plays cards, it seems.” 

Jem laughed. 

“ She has evidently lost money. She has had 
charge, I gather, of Mrs. Gillflory’s affairs. She 
has been out ; she has just returned, and I have 
the cheque with a forged indorsement. You can 
draw your own conclusions.” 

“I have drawn mine, sir,” said Jem, “and 
they are not yours ! ” 


THE END. 


303 


Oh, Belinda, Belinda, why did you do it ! ” 
exclaimed Claudia. ‘‘ Surely Mrs. Gillflory would 
have given you the money you and Inez lost ! '' 

I would not ! '' snapped Mrs. Gillflory. It’s 
all due to this gambling mania, which I will not 
encourage again ; I’ll take to ping-pong. I sup- 
pose that I’ll have to pay to keep this young 
forger out of jail. Oh, the disgrace of it all ! ” 
Belinda stood up very straight. They were 
against her ; they, — except Jem, whom she had 
known only for a few hours, believed that she 
was a criminal ^ — well, let them ! 

‘‘No, Mrs. Gillflory,” she said, “ I will go to 
prison, and await my trial.” 

“Will they call me as a witness?” cried Mrs. 
Gillflory. “ Will they take me into a horrible 
court ? Shall I be dragged between two police- 
men to the city hall ? ” 

“ Probably,” said the detective, coolly. “ You 
are one of the principal witnesses in this affair ! ” 
“Belinda I” screamed Mrs. Gillflory, “ you are 
an ungrateful, unkind, deceitful girl, to bring all 
this on me ! You shall not go to court and have 
me with you ; I’ll buy this man off.” 

“You flatter yourself, ma’am,” said the detec- 


304 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


live, flushing. ^‘You may be rich, but you can’t 
buy me.’' 

This is dreadful, Claudia! He can’t be 
bought. What are we to do ? Speak ; don’t be 
an owl ! ” 

Belinda stood, very white and still, facing Mrs. 
Gillflory. She understood now what her grand- 
mother and the Sisters had meant when they 
had, time after time, commanded her to control 
herself, to think of others, to be gentle and 
thoughtful. She pitied Mrs. Gillflory, and, even 
in her agony, — for the knowledge that she was 
suspected, that she was in danger of being im- 
prisoned was the keenest agony, — she was glad of 
the education that had made it impossible for her 
to be unlike this very fashionable woman. 

‘‘Cousin Jem,” she said, “surely everybody^’* 
— she was thinking of the Laffans and Frederick 
and Bob, — “ will not believe this ? ” 

“No reasonable person will, after I have had 
my say,” called out Jem, who rolled up his sleeves, 
as if he were in for a boxing match. 

“ You’d better say it — quick ! ” said the detec- 
tive, with a sneer. 

“ I’ll say it when I’m ready — — ” 


THE END. 


305 


It will get into the papers, with my picture, 
and I take a horrid photograph ! '' wailed Mrs. 
Gillflory. 

ril say it when Tm ready, and for the last * 
time,’' went on Jem. You keep a civil eye in 
your face — do you hear. This young lady did 
not forge the indorsement.” 

Nobody else could have done it,” said Mrs. 
Gillflory. Nobody had access to the cheques 
but her. You know that, Belinda! ” 

If you show me where yoiir telephone is. I’ll 
call a carriage and take this young lady away at 
once. She myst answer for this.” 

Belinda’s breath came and went in gasps. 

You shall not take her out of this house,” 
said Jem. Sit down, Belinda, sit down, I say, 
please! Aunt, don’t stare there, — get the child a 
glass of water ! Don’t you see she is fainting, — 
stupid ! ” to Claudia. 

“I am not fainting,” gasped Belinda. ‘‘No, 

I am not fainting ! But, oh, a prison. Cousin 
Jem ; what would poor grandmother say ? Oh, 
can nobody save me ? ” 

Claudia made her drink a glass of water. 

“But nr go! I’ll go! I am innocent, and 

20 


306 


BELINDA'S COUSINS. 


God will not desert me. I must go, Cousin 
Jem ! ’’ 

‘‘You shall not go,” said Jem, very gravely and 
gently this time. “ If you will let me use your 
telephone. Aunt, Fll call up Miss Inez Fawcett.” 

“ I cannot stand another scene,” said Mrs. 
Gillflory, fanning herself violently. “ There’s no 
use in having Inez here.” 

“ She will be here in five minutes,” said Jem, 
“ if she will come at all.” 

“ It’s a loss of time, as the lady says,” grum- 
bled the detective. 

“ Permit me to judge. Stay where you are,” 
Jem added to Belinda, “ and don’t worry.” 

The telephone bell tinkled twice. They waited. 

“ You do not mean to accuse Inez, Jem ! ” ex- 
claimed Claudia, horrified. 

“ Inez will speak for herself. She has answered 
my telephone ; she is at home, and she will come.” 

Belinda was very wretched. Now, more than 
ever in her short life, she understood the value 
of prayer, — of faith. She must trust in God, 
knowing that He would save her. Afterwards 
she remembered that the stories of the manner 
of her heroines of the French Revolution 


• THE END. 307 

had occurred to her. How well the Princess 
Elizabeth had stood the test. She would endure 
everything with dignity and tranquillity and in- 
ward trust. 

There was a long delay, during which Mrs. 
Gillflory asked the detective to have refresh- 
ments. The man took a cup of coffee and looked 
very important. 

The bell rang, and when the door was opened, 
Inez Fawcett appeared. She was flushed and 
frightened. She drew back as she saw the detect- 
tive. 

What is the matter? ” she cried. '' From the 
urgency of that telephone message, I expected to 
find everybody dead.’’ 

I am sorry that this gentleman insisted on 
troubling you. It is needless,” the detective 
said. '‘A cheque was offered at our bank this 
morning with a forged indorsement.” 

Inez became very pale, and sat down. 

Our paying teller, who has just returned from 
a hospital, received the cheque. He was seized 
with vertigo just as he was about to examine it. 
He could only say that it was presented by a 
well-dressed young woman ; there was nobody 


308 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


in the rotunda of the bank at the time, except 
myself, and I was engaged at the cashier’s win- 
dow. The cheque was drawn by Mrs. Gillflory 
for a firm of tailors. The indorsement was an 
imitation of their signature.” 

‘‘ Well,” asked Inez, “ well ? ” 

“ I am simply explaining the reason why I am 
here.” 

“ But that does not explain the reason why I 
have been brought here.” Inez did not look at 
Belinda ; she addressed herself to the detective 
defiantly. 

‘‘Did you not borrow money of Belinda?” 
Jem asked, suddenly. 

“ Did she tell ? ” asked Inez, scornfully. 

“ No ! she did not tell ; but I found out,” Jem 
said. “ Fd like to have five minutes’ talk with you 
in another room, if you don’t mind.” 

Inez rose languidly, but sat down again. 

“ I prefer to talk here. Nobody accuses me 
of forging a name ? ” 

“ No, Miss,” said the detective, deferentially, 
“ Miss Murray is suspected.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Inez, with a shudder. “ I’ll stay 
here.’^ 


THE END. 309 

‘‘You took some letters from Belinda to 
post?^’ 

“ Certainly/' said Inez, looking at Jem haught- 
ily. “ And one was not properly sealed, and a 
cheque fell out. I suppose you saw that from 
your seat in the Park, where you are always idl- 
ing. Well ? I sealed the envelope and posted 
the letters. What do you make of that ? " 

“ There is no use in torturing Inez Fawcett in 
this way," exclaimed Mrs. Gillflory. “ Belinda 
Murray must go to jail, I suppose. Til see that 
she is well fed there, at any rate. That's all I'll 
do. To think of her bringing all this disgrace 
on us. It's worse than your marriage, Jem ! '’ 

Jem looked at his aunt with fire in his eyes, 
but said nothing. Belinda admired him cor- 
dially, in spite of her own doubts. 

Claudia, usually so self-contained, began to 
sob. 

“ If you did it, Belinda, say so ! " she cried. 
“ They may let you off ! " 

Belinda felt utterly cold and sick ; she did not 
speak. 

“ Belinda came directly to the Park to speak to 
me," said Jem,“ I was waiting for Claudia. She 


310 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


was with me all the time. The only person that 
came out of your apartments, Aunt, was Inez 
Fawcett ; and that was some time before Belinda 
came.'' 

‘‘You call yourself a gentleman, — and you 
spy ! " cried Inez. “ You always did hate me, Jem 
Deresby. If I tell the truth about this, you’ll be 
sorry ! let me say this ! What can they do to 
Belinda? Nobody got any money. Suppose 
she did write the tailors' names on the cheque, 
they can’t prove that she stole anything ! " 

“ It is a most serious affair," the detective 
said, “ most serious. This young man can tell all 
he knows in court. Miss Murray will have to 
stand an examination." 

Jem looked desperate. 

“ Inez ! " he said, appealingly. Inez shrugged 
her shoulders and turned her back. There was 
a hard, set look on her face. 

“ I'm sorry for you, Belinda," she said, going 
towards her, but not meeting her eyes. “You've 
tried to be good to me ; but it was no use. I'd 
like to do something for you now ; — I haven't 
acquired the art of loving my neighbor as my- 
self," she added, with a short laugh. “You will 


THE END. 


311 


not believe me, — but Tm more to be pitied than 
you. If I were in your place, it would break my 
mother’s heart ; you haven’t any mother.” 

Jem, his eyes moist, took Belinda’s hand. She 
had no mother ! ” The words seem to fill the air 
with a strange pathos. ‘^No mother!” Here 
she sat, pale, broken, but stately in a way, but 
only a little girl, after all, with the world and the 
law against her. 

‘‘ I wish,” she said, her voice trembling for the 
first time, that I had a mother ; she would 
understand.” 

Claudia broke into sobs ; Jem kept his place 
beside Belinda’s chair. 

Time’s up,” said the detective. 

Jem faced him suddenly. 

I’m only a boy compared to you,” he said, 
and I can*t fight you with my fists. I know,” 
he added, looking at Belinda, that I was wrong, 
and I know that you will respect me less, — and I 
don’t want Alice to know, — but the other day 
when you came to me in the Park, I was sick of 
life. I felt that Alice and the baby would be 
better without me, I had determined to use 
this^' he said, drawing a small revolver from his 


312 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


coat pocket. ‘‘Yes ; it is true ; I was almost 
hounded to it ; but you came, and you gave me 
new life, I was saved from — never mind. Now, 
if anybody tries to take Belinda Murray from this 
room, he will get a bullet in his brain ! '' 

“ Do you know what you are saying?” cried 
the detective, looking very uneasy and not mov- 
ing. 

Before Jem could reply, there was a violent 
ring at the door, and a messenger boy appeared 
with a note for Claudia. She tore it open, and 
read it. With a great effort, she gave it to Jem, 
and fell back upon the sofa. The note was in 
Arnold’s hand, — 

“ Crooks, the butler, has been here to tell me 
that there is a detective in the house, frightening 
Mrs. Gillflory. I know what it means. As I 
was coming home to-day, I met Inez Fawcett, 
with some letters and a cheque in her hand. She 
showed me the cheque, and wished she had the 
money to pay her gambling debts. The cheque 
was drawn by my aunt to my tailors. I wanted 
money badly, — so I said, ‘ the cash will come out 
of my father, anyhow ; I’ll indorse this, you can 


THE END. 


313 


take it to the bank, and I’ll divide. Father will 
make it all right.’ She tried it, I suppose, and 
she has been found out. I am going away ; there 
is no use in trying to find me. Arnold.” 

Inez frowned. She adjusted her hat, and 
fastened her coat. 

Arnold saj/s that I presented the cheque ; and 
you know you cannot prove it,” she said, ad- 
dressing the detective. How he got the cheque, 
you will have to find out, too. Belinda knew 
that all the letters were not sealed ; I may have 
dropped the one with the cheque.” 

The detective hesitated. 

“ You had better give me back my cheque,” 
said Mrs. Gillflory. If your bank wants to keep 
me as a depositor, you must let this matter drop.” 

You will have to see the President,” he said. 
‘‘ The case of your nephew is serious, on his own 
confession ; but I apologize to Miss Murray, and 
I suppose, I can do nothing more in this matter 
at present, though my life has been threat- 
ened.” 

He bowed slightly to Mrs. Gillflory, and went 
out. 

“ Before I go,” said Inez, rising, “ I want to 


314 


BELINDA’S COUSINS. 


say that all this is due to you, Mrs. Gillflory. 
You have encouraged us young girls in all sorts 
of frivolities. Oh, I know I am to blame ; — it’s 
people like you who follow all fashions, good or 
bad, that spoil us. You shall have your money, 
Belinda, if I sell every ring I have, and, after 
this, ril drop being a ‘ society ’ girl. I hope you’ll 
forgive me!” There were tears in Belinda’s 
eyes. ‘‘You’ve a good heart, child, — and don’t 
forget me ! ’ 

Inez, disregarding the others, walked haughtily 
from the room ; and, then, Belinda, exhausted, 
almost fainting, went to her room, to kneel for a 
moment before her Madonna. 

* * * * * 

Belinda spent Christmas, with the Laffans. 
Jem, his wife and the little Claude were there, 
too, as well as Morfido, attired in green and holly- 
colored ribbons, much to the boys’ disgust. A 
pretty present came from Claudia for Jem’s baby, 
a long telegram from Mrs. Gillflory, asking Be- 
linda to come back. 

“You are at home, and at peace,” Mrs. Laf- 
fan said, smiling at the two girls. Marguerite and 
Belinda. 


THE END. 


315 


‘‘ For a time/’ Belinda said, I am at home. 
I shall go away soon to learn how to work better. 
Only the idle girls are poor, and an orphan like 
me must make a home for herself. Since Fve 
read the life of St. Teresa, I do not pray that 
all obstacles may be removed, but that I may 
have the grace to remove them ! ” 

You’re a brave girl ! ” said Mr. Laffan. 

Do you know,” and Marguerite gave Be- 
linda a quick look, I believe that Belinda will be 
a nun some day.” 

I am not good enough,” Belinda said, laugh- 
ing. When I was with you here, I thought that 
I was rather good, but my visit to New York has 
undeceived me. There’s a great deal of the old 
Belinda in me yet ! ” 

‘‘ We like you as you are,” said Fred, trying to 
put a huge piece of red candy into Belinda’s 
mouth. “Just as you are.” 

Morfido squealed, and everybody laughed. 


THE END. 




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